Read One Book Now and Connect Like Never Before

"I thought it was just a book about advertising!"

"No!" I said, "It is a book about communication."

Spring and summer are the communication seasons.  April showers plus a little sun translate into spectacular bluebonnets.   Young leaves dance the breezes like leprechauns.  Birds, bees, spring and summer buzz.

What's the buzz?  There is no buzz if there is no one to hear and help move the message.  So how do you become a master message crafter?  Become a great story teller.  You can improve your story-telling skills with three easy steps.

1. Listen to and read great stories.  Attend an event like the National Storytelling Conference.  Listen to your favorite uncle who always has a great story.  
2. Build a portfolio of your own stories.  Actually write them down.  Edit your writing so your messages zings into the listener's ear.
3. Increase your awareness of what makes a message lodge into the subconscious mind.  May is full of opportunities to level up.  Here are a few ways to increase your awareness that center around one book and one location.

Roy H. Williams is a master story teller.   In his second best seller, Secret Formulas of the Wizard of Ads, he probes the power of words and the connections they must forge in the mind to be memorable.  Grab a copy of this book and take a summer ride with the top down.  MindTamers are reading this book this month as a part of the free Build A Book Club program.  You can read it with us or with your own group using these simple steps:

• Read about 80 pages per week.  Don't worry, there are lots of pictures.
• Think about the answers to questions that personalize the book for you. (Keep reading for a few starter questions for Part 1 and Part 2.)
• Meet with other folks doing the same thing once a week.  Call in to (512) 716-6511 and use the conference code 973640# at 7 am CDT on Tuesday, May 11, 2010 if you want to join other MindTamers reading this book this month.

Here are some of the questions we will discuss on Tuesday's call for Part 1 and Part 2 of Secret Formulas of the Wizard of Ads:

What question does the publisher ask the reader to answer and what is your answer?

Give an example of how the "most powerful force ever" makes a difference in your life.

Where was the American Dream born and what two forces fueled it?

How are you using the "bridge of magical fire" in your life today?

MindTamers will meet two other times by phone and one time live to discuss this book:

• May 18, 2010 at 7:00 pm CDT same conference line, same conference code to discuss Parts 3 and 4 
• May 25, 2010 at 7:00 am CDT same conference line, same conference code to discuss Parts 5 and 6 (We will be calling in from Wizard Academy itself for this call!)
• June 1, 2010 at 6:30 pm at Laura's Library in Austin for the First Tuesday Book Club.
• All of these are open to the public.
• If you would like to meet the Wizard of Ads himself for free, go to the free public seminar on May 21, 2010.  Don't delay, this event sells out every time it is offered.

Here's to more successful connections in every aspect of your life.  If you like this idea of a master mind book club, you can learn how to build your own successful book club or join ours as an insider.

Buzz Buzz!

Lori L. Barr, M. D.
Vice President, MindTamers

Four Obstacles Bar Experts From Local Recognition

by Lori L. Barr, M. D.

© 2009 Lori L. Barr All rights reserved.

Intellects study the unconscious habits of successful individuals and consciously teach those habits to students in memorable ways at this school. Want to attend?

My son explored the campus one day last summer in plaid shorts. Richard said, "This is Disneyworld for your imagination!" Amazingly, more international students pay to attend than do locals. Just last week, the Chancellor closed the campus to the public due to repeated acts of vandalism and disrespect.

Tempted to condemn the ignorance of the immediate populace? The individual who envisions the future and speaks to those who cannot hear is a recurring theme in human history. Homer mentions the gift of prophecy Apollo granted to Cassandra, princess of Troy for her beauty. She spurned his love; he gifted her again. Listeners suffered selective hearing loss when she prophesied.

History confirms the expert's difficulty at home. The gospels of Mark and Luke recount the attempt of Jesus to bring His understanding and application of the Torah to his own country. Mark says the people were offended. Jesus said, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, and among his own kin and in his own house."

In 1847 physician Ignaz Semmelweis, the father of modern antiseptic technique was dismissed from his hospital, ostracized by the Vienna medical community and believed to be insane when he suggested that hand-washing by physicians performing both autopsies and deliveries could prevent deaths of birthing mothers. He died in an asylum.

World-renown radiologist Leonard Swischuk revolutionized x-ray recognition of childhood diseases. In 1985, I learned the art of pediatric radiology from him in Galveston. He was better recognized on the island as a tennis racquet stringer and shirt monogrammer.

You share Cassandra's frustration and despair. Create a great idea and as fast as you show it to family, they remind you why you cannot profit from it. What four obstacles must one overcome to locally be recognized as expert?

1) Memory Entrapment. Human memory contains complex snapshots of encounters with other individuals. As a result, you earn a specific place in the mind of another over time. When your new idea is incongruent with their memory of you or even with your own memory of yourself, disbelief is the only logical result.

2) Complacency. In traditional education we play "Follow the Follower". We learn to be comfortable as a part of a herd. We want to wear what our friends are wearing and do what our friends are doing. Many adults freeze their awareness at this level. When you decide to think differently, the herd senses danger. Herd members work to pull the straggler back into the fold or, if matters become extreme, to cull the deviant for the sake of the herd.

3) Fear of Criticism goes unrecognized within one's own mind and kills the desire to create. Fear results in alibis and excuses that smother your idea before it has time to grow. Napoleon Hill studied over one thousand successful individuals and many more failures. In Think and Grow Rich, he states, "People refuse to take chances in business because they fear the criticism which may follow if they fail. The fear of criticism in such cases is stronger than the desire for success."

4) Familiarity. The more familiar we are with another, the more likely we are to find something we dislike. Experiments by Norton et al found that if one dissimilarity between two people surfaced, subsequent information is perceived as supportive evidence for dissimilarity. Dislike cascades. Individuals discount ideas from people they dislike.

Bob Proctor is right, "What other people think about you is none of your business." Your business is what you think of yourself and how you choose to nurture your new ideas. The choice you make and your ability to overcome these four obstacles within your own mind correlate with expansion of your sphere of influence.

Corporations hire "experts" to stimulate productivity. This means someone from outside the immediate metropolitan area who has an impressive presentation. Savvy leaders suspend their paradigms about their employees and the surrounding community. They look for locals who understand how to bridge the knowing/doing gap and also grasp the significant contribution the business makes to the community.

Uncover hidden treasures in your family, corporation and community. Who can you listen to and view outside of your preconceived notions? Recognize them as an undervalued local expert here with a comment. If you would like my list of ten undervalued local experts, drop me an email.

Less is more: The lure of ambiguity, or why familiarity breeds contempt. Norton, Michael I.; Frost, Jeana H.; Ariely, Dan, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Vol 92(1), Jan 2007, 97-105

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Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your site so long as you leave all links in place, and do not modify the content.

Holiday Ideas to Jump Start Your New Year

Do you ever feel like serious work is a waste in December?

Personal and professional productivity screech to a halt during the last six weeks of the year. Complacency sets in and drives all thought of meaningful activity to a far corner of the mind. Below are three simple ideas to jump start your new year, 2010 and to kick that inertia outside of your ball park.

1. Carry the Thanksgiving theme into December. Start every correspondence (voice or text) this month with a heartfelt message of gratitude for something the other person did that went beyond a self-serving boundary. Even if you do not personally know the individual with whom you are exchanging emails, recognize the ways they are improving the lives of others and specifically thank them for it. If you need help with those thank you messages, there is no better pro than Robyn Spizman, author of The Thank You Book.
2. Have one holiday get-together designed to exchange ideas. My favorite gathering is "Yule Enjoy This Read" where I ask my most thoughtful friends over for a book exchange. This is at least half the fat of the traditional holiday cookie exchange! Each participant brings over one book that made them laugh and one book that taught them something new in 2009. They write their reflections on a card inside the front cover of the book. Books are displayed so that everyone has a chance to peruse the selections during the party. At an appropriate time, books are chosen using a lottery system where each consecutive person has two choices: pick a book that someone already chose or pick a book still unchosen. Those who get their choice taken away get to choose again from the unchosen books.
3. Commit to taking your first 110 steps toward a new fitness habit. I have been using a 110 step program since I trained for the mid-adventure Montana Backpacker with my son's scout troop last summer. Focus on the number 110 and every day do some form of exercise with at least 110 repetitions. My week consists of daily 110 sit-ups, weekly 110 push-ups and 110 step intervals where I alternate walking, slow jog, fast jog and sprinting. Simple and effective.

Actually, 110 repetitions of gratitude and 110 exchanges of ideas are great steps toward new social and spiritual fitness habits. If that seems like too much, baby steps will do!

Cheers,

Lori L. Barr, M. D.

www.loribarr.com

www.mindtamers.com

May MindTamers Monthly

She holds your hand when you cross the street.
She kisses your skinned knee and stops the tears.
She fills in the blanks so you succeed.
She grows you in the womb of her love.

Alive or dead, estranged or living together, you and your mother share common memories. In the space between, that space where shared memories live, it is always here and now. Each memory lives in its own place. You visit that place anytime you choose through the power of your creative imagination.

In his book, Outliers, Malcomb Gladwell acquaints us with the idea that it takes about 10,000 hours to become a world-class expert in any endeavor. Think back to your little life. Before your formal education indoctrination, you spent the majority of your day at the imaginasium. If you had a friend (real or imagined) to play with, anything was possible!

The 10,000-hour rule works when the individual is actively trying to become exceptional at the task. Every infant, toddler and child with enough food, shelter and human contact to have basic needs met spends at least 5 hours a day actively using the imagination to create all manner of possibilities from whatever happens to be at hand? (Remember those kitchen pots, wooden spoons and pan lids?) She does that every day and in 6 years (10,000 hours later), she is a world-class expert at the use of her imagination.

So face it, you really are a professional imagineer!

Question is, when is the last time you practiced at it? We are stretching our imaginations in Razor’s Edge, the year-long mentoring program I facilitate with MindTamers. So far, it is uncomfortable to use a skill that is rusty…kind of like remembering how to ride a bike after a long while driving cars. It is amazing how with a few friends (we use the mastermind approach to the mentoring process), anything is once again possible. More than any of that, it is sheer fun!

Your creative imagination is waiting to be let out of the cage. Free it three ways:

1) Study your favorite secret agent.

Is it Bond? Mission Impossible’s Jim? Maxwell Smart? 99? Maybe it is your persona you created for the latest Macheist adventure.

Warning: Do not perform the following exercise in an airport. Your actions could be misconstrued and results would be predictable and unfortunate.

The next time you are in a busy place, become a secret agent. You are working in tandem with your favorite agent and you must do your part or your city will suffer dire consequences at the hands of the villain of your choice. Make up a task that you must complete with all the finesse of a secret agent and play your part. Don’t stop until you complete your assignment or attract undue attention from those who might inflict punishment upon you.

2) Sign up for a MindTamers study.

Conscious Thinking: Imagination is a three-hour seminar that is part of the Mental Muscles Series. On May 13, 2009 7:30-10:30 AM at 401 Congress Avenue, Suite 1540 in Austin, Texas get primed to resume your role as the chief imagineer in your field.

Ready to sink your mind into more than you can possibly chew? We have a few spots in Razor’s Edge if you have a big enough goal and are ready to make a year-long commitment. Email me.

3) Revisit three memories with your Mother.

Steal some quiet time and find that space between where that memory lives. Poke around in the corners of the memory and pull out every detail. Where do you smell her the easiest?

While you are there, invite your mother to enjoy it as much as you are. Even if she has already passed, you can imagine her with you even now, holding your hand as you relive the moment together.

Make that memory, the one of her in your present moment, sharing the moment of the past with you just as vivid as the memory of your past together.

It really isn’t hard.

After all, you are a professional.

Cheers,

Lori L. Barr, M. D.

April/May MindTamers Monthly

Ahh, Spring…

Your heels click sharply on the shiny wood. No dust, no stains, just mirror sheen and deep resonance. White walls reflect all of your colors. No fingerprints, no smudges, no cobwebs, just white and clean. Fresh tickles your nose; no stale smoke, no lingering rancid oil. There is nothing like the result of Spring Cleaning.
April is the month we focused on Spring Cleaning at MindTamers. Many of you who took advantage of our programs feel just as good about the clear space you created within your own mind. You learned to let go of outdated ideas and habits that were limiting your growth. It feels good to get back to the simplicity of clean.
Others, unable to participate, wonder when they will be able to grow this way. How is it that some people always have opportunities for growth and others never do? Just lucky?

Let’s Talk About Luck…
We will explore the concept of luck 7 PM Central Daylight Time on Tuesday, April 28, 2009 in a webinar entitled, “The Good Luck Prescription.” Dedicate one hour to picking up the phone and gauging your ability to get lucky in any area you choose.
If you really want to get the most out of the webinar, follow the link to register below, then take the time to write down your thoughts about the following questions before the webinar. You’ll be glad you did.
Pre-Webinar Assessment: Good Luck Prescription

1. List ten phrases or symbols that you know related to luck either good or bad.
2. What do you do when you:
find a penny?
see a black cat?
cross paths with a ladder?
spill salt?
encounter a hearse?
your ear burns?
3. At what time of day do you usually notice you are having a good or a bad one? What happens after that?
4. Do you gamble? If so, when do you choose to do so? Name three determining factors that influence your decision to gamble.
5. Name three factors that help you decide whether or not an activity is worth the risk for the following types of activities:
Physical (ex. scuba diving, bungee jumping)
Mental (ex. idea you are uncomfortable considering)
Spiritual (ex. action counter-productive to your spiritual growth)
Social (ex. activity you may be ridiculed for participation in)
Security (ex. investment decision that depletes your reserve)

You know how curious I am. If you perform this self-assessment, send me an email and let me know at lori@mindtamers.com.

Good luck!
Lori L. Barr, M.D.


Good Luck Rx Webinar
Date: Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Time: 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM CDT

System Requirements: PC Based attendees require Windows 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista
Macintosh-based attendees require MAC OS X 10.4 (Tiger) or newer

Space is limited. Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/914356947
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

In Step with Lifelong Learning

A warm blustery Austin day, I enjoy a Brazilian lunch with two individuals practiced in the art of thinking. Rodney reflects on how differently he thinks now that he is a weekly blogger. Megan, the savvy observer who has mastered the subtle art of suggestion, asks me if I blog.
I had not and am grateful to Rodney and Megan for pushing me to share my strategies for life balance on the MindTamers blogs.
I am an Austin physician (radiologist), educator, mother, and entrepreneur. I am passionate about purposeful living. If you catch me doing otherwise, please stop and remind me. My husband teaches high school science. My son is a boy scout.
Today focus on lifelong learning since many characteristics of lifelong learners are the same as those of self-motivated individuals who use all parts of their non-corporeal being and really live on purpose. Most balanced individuals I observe understand the ways the mind works and the spirit moves the body into shapes, contours and actions that either serve as a life-preserver or drag us under the chilly waves in the flow of life.
An article entitled “Education Techniques for Lifelong Learning” by Dr. Jannette Collins, a radiologist in Wisconsin appears in the medical journal, Radiographics this month.
Dr. Collins describes lifelong learning as “one of the most important competencies that people must possess”. Her article is a call to action for educators of all age students to change the way they teach. She encourages teaching methods that foster the traits, skills and learning activities necessary for lifelong learning.
What underlying traits typify those who become master learners? Dr. Collins lists 15 in her article. For this blog, I offer 10. The other five are on the MindTamers social networking site: http://mindtamers.ning.com on the blog page.
See which of the traits you breathe and become more aware of opportunities to improve the others:

• Curious
• Venturesome/creative
• Innovative
• Resourceful
• Motivated to learn
• Disciplined
• Logical
• Self-aware
• Adaptable
• Accountable

Talent and gifts are terms we employ when individuals are unconsciously competent about how their abilities affect their performance. All of these traits can be learned if there is enough desire and persistence.
Dr. Collins lists eight skills and seven learning activities that foster lifelong learning. Consider four skills she identifies (go to http://www.mindtamers.ning.com blog for the rest):

• Develops & defends criteria for evaluating learning
• Change agent
• Shares knowledge
• Information-seeking & retrieval skills

How does one develop such skills? Practice activities that build the skill frequently enough to create a habit in the mind. In other words, practice enough that the activity is performed without a second thought. That takes a good bit of practice. Want to guess how much? 10 times? 100 times? Usually over 1200 repetitions are necessary.
What kind of learning activities does Dr. Collins suggest? Remember, this article is written to practicing radiologists.

• Participate in conventional learning opportunities like seminars
  
• Participate in distance learning oppotunities
• Develop new skills with experiential training
• Volunteer to enhance leadership skills
• Find a mentor or coach
• Work toward an advanced degree
• Read, reflect on reading

I am happy to report that at MindTamers we provide all of these learning activities and they are not centered around the subjects you study in school. Our programs fill in the blanks your education left out.
Starting in April, this blogger will share tips on spring cleaning for your mind so you achieve the results you desire. If dusty old habits weigh you down, spend a few minutes here every Saturday. We will whisk them away.
Lifelong leaning means to master the art of thinking. Remember Rodney and Megan? They are not so old pros. You can master this art over the course of the next eight weeks in one of our two MindTaming Principles Classes. mindtamers.com

Cheers,
Lori L. Barr, M. D.
Founder, MindTamers
Austin, Texas

Additional Resources:

Here is the reference for Dr. Collins’ article. You will need to contact your friendly neighborhood radiologist or medical library to download it for you for free and since I am a friendly neighborhood radiologist myself, if 100 people comment here that they would like to have access to the article, then I will obtain the permission to post it on http://www.mindtamers.ning.com our social networking website.
Collins, J, Education Techniques for Lifelong Learning, Lifelong Learning in the 21st Century and Beyond, Radiographics, 2009; 29(2): 613-622
Bolhuis, S, Toward Process-oriented Teaching for Self-directed Lifelong Learning: a Multidimensional perspective. Learn Instruct 2003; 13(3): 327-347

January/February 2009 Newsletter

Resolutions: Reality Check

Three steps make the di

fference.

January is a month when individuals resolve to change and do a better job with respect to some facet of their life. Today I want to challenge you to take one step further in this process than will most of the well-intentioned resolution makers. Let's cover three basic steps that will truly make a di

fference if you want

to make lasting changes in your results.

To begin, you must understand what is responsible for your results. What comes to mind when you ask yourself, "What is the primary factor responsible for my results?"

Write down the first answer that comes to mind. If you wrote down anything similar to "what I do is responsible for my results" or "if only (fill in the blank with any external circumstance) my results would be di

fferent" then you need to

alter your basic understanding of how we achieve the results we attain in our lives. This question is answered in almost every keynote, seminar, coaching program or consultation provided by the professionals at MindTamers.

Download the full newsletter.