David Martin & Company

Work Smarter. Dream Bigger.

A 7-year old’s generosity sparked a national movement. What could yours do?

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Spark 1: A young boy’s generous gift to his dad.
Brayden was seven years old in 2009 when his dad, Scott, was deployed for the 8th time in Brayden’s life and his third time to Afghanistan. Scott was a Green Beret, and Brayden was (naturally) fearful for his dad’s safety.

Anyone would be fearful.
But Brayden did something NOT just anyone would do…something generous. As his dad was preparing to deploy, Brayden gave him his treasured “magic silly band” bracelet with the instructions, “Don’t take it off, okay Dad? It’ll keep you safe.”…[Continue Reading]

Leadership 201: He didn’t hate the dog. It just wasn’t his.

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Underdogs: sometimes it’s not just a metaphor.
A few weeks ago, our dog, Lulu, got puppy-shamed…if there is such a thing. Don’t worry. She’s still as joyful as ever.

But the incident actually says as much about the leaders around you (and about you) as it says about dogs. It serves as a humorous but cautionary tale of how we unintentionally squelch each others’ voices. This one’s not immediately obvious, so it’s a 201 level idea.

Understanding what happened to Lulu will help you better take life by the leash and build your leadership pedigree. (Sorry, but when a puppy pun presents itself, you have to grab it by the collar.)…[Continue Reading]

First, I lost my cool. Then, I lost my power.

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A few years ago, I witnessed a dear friend (let’s call him Todd) living through the most difficult experience of his life. Over many months, his situation got so bad it seemed almost inescapable to him. The challenges he faced would make even the toughest among us blanch.

At one point, he was ready to just check out, not in a healthy way. Standing in his shoes, I could understand why.…[Continue Reading]

5 rules to prevent your “big next” from becoming a big mess.

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The recent launch of my new book, Free the Genius, was a tutorial for me in how to stretch beyond old limits to my own “big next.”

If you’re building something new and different, let these universal rules-of-the-road help you stay on track and in motion.

What is a “big next”? It’s that idea, dream, or contribution that you must bring to life. It may feel impractical and difficult to achieve . . . yet, it won’t leave you alone until you begin. It’s your big next.

Here are five principles I just learned and re-learned that you can apply to bring your big next to life:…[Continue Reading]

If a client tells you they’re going crazy, should you call 911?

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Mel asked me to meet him for a drink at an out-of-the-way dive bar. He wanted to talk away from the office where people wouldn’t overhear us.

After a quick hello, he jumped right into why he wanted to talk.

“Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure. What’s up?”
“Do you think I’m losing it? I’m beginning to think I must be crazy.”…[Continue Reading]

He imitated his way to the top. And so can you.

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Willson Contreras, the 26-year-old catcher for the Chicago Cubs will play in his first All-Star game tonight. That’s one of the biggest honors in his profession. When he found out he’d made the team, he cried.

You probably would have too if you’d have worked that hard — especially if one of your idols had tried to hold you in place, telling you to “respect the ranks” as you started gaining ground.

Regardless, you can steal his path to all-star status starting today. And perhaps your success will threaten some of your idols, as well.

Playing in the All-Star game was a predictable outcome.
Contreras used a method that almost every superstar or uber performer in any field, including business, has used since the beginning of humanity. …[Continue Reading]

One important question to ask yourself at New Year’s

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Something small but important happened to me this weekend. It could help you change the way you think about 2018 and beyond for yourself.

On Friday, I drove back to my hometown in Illinois to spend some time with family. My parents’ old house is for sale, so I stopped by the house to check it out.

I was locked out.
I usually enter through the garage door but the door opener had a dead battery. No luck. And all of the doors were locked.…[Continue Reading]

Seeing his world changed mine

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In November 2013, I spent 10 days in Nepal trekking in the Himalayan Mountains. There were no paved roads above 10,000 feet, which meant no motorized vehicles.

It was just silence and the unfamiliar.
Beneath the quiet sky, we ascended, descended, and ascended more, for hours each day. Around every turn was wind, sun, and endless ranges of jagged peaks shooting toward the heavens.…[Continue Reading]

How your double standard is failing you

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I love reading biographies of great people — warriors, titans, artists, athletes, crusaders for a cause.  There’s a theme that runs across them.

Not only did those people have historic impact. They’re full of foibles and flaws.

Sometimes, it’s shocking what poor judgment or bad behaviors such brilliant people could exhibit. That is, at least when they were out of the public view.

And still, they changed the world.…[Continue Reading]

Rethinking your sources of wisdom

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I sat and listened intently as my mentor shared with me some pretty amazing wisdom. His perspective and experiences were so different than mine that I needed to stop him every few minutes and ask for clarification.

Not everything he said made sense, but parts of what he shared was exploding in my brain. I’d just never thought of things the way he was describing them.…[Continue Reading]