Illusion, I Mean Perception, is Everything

Two-hundred and fifty women received a postcard mailing from me last week announcing my upcoming summer Remarkable Women’s Network events. It had the image you see here on the face of it taken at my March 15 event held at Boardroom in Stamford, CT. Only women who have attended one of my events received a card. Everyone else will get email blasts starting next week.

Colleague and friend Karen Hodges, who received the over-sized postcard, emailed me  saying, “You just AMAZE me in how you have your marketing machine so oiled, even using ‘old school’ marketing to catch people’s attention during summer vacation time of year when the focus might be off networking and business building.”

Now, I will take credit for using the ‘old school’ marketing and for catching people when they’re not expecting it, but the well-oiled marketing machine made me laugh. My process looks more like one of those old Rube Goldberg contraptions you see here.

This was reinforced for me at a Mastermind Group session I led on Wednesday night. One member, a professional organizer, embarrassedly admitted that her desk was a disaster area. She said she’d be horrified if her clients could see. Another organizer chimed in, ashamedly, “You should see my files! A total wreck!”

Of course, I brought up the shoemaker, but everyone was laughing too hard to hear me. I say “here’s to keeping up the illusion” and don’t beat yourself up if it’s messy getting it out there, as long as you do get it out there.

Highlights from My Blog

This Will Inspire You
Rounding the bend on my morning walk today, with Paul Simon singing ‘Old’ on my iPod, I spotted my neighbor Mrs. Young, who will be 100 on October 11,  arms lifted over her head with pruning shears, struggling to cut down a branch weakened from last night’s storm. Read more.

This Made My Day
On December 13, 1997 an egg I was commissioned to create was presented to concert pianist Adlan Cruz at the Klein Memorial Auditorium in Bridgeport, CT. It’s 13 years and a couple of careers ago. Then, this morning in my inbox, I received 4 emails from the recipient, Adlan Cruz, who recently found the piece of paper with my name on it and came looking for me.  Besides sharing this joy with you, I wanted to emphasize two things. Read more.

That Took HOW Long?
Although we’re productive and succeeding along the way, it can take years before the world sees clearly the image we have in mind. I gave a talk last month at the Ridgefield Women’s Forum and shared a story about the persistence it takes to bring a dream to fruition. It’s Lesson #44 in the new edition of my book Soul Proprietor. Take a look at this YouTube clip...