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Being really busy means you are important and that you are getting a lot of things done – right? Not really. Not necessarily. Being busy just means you are busy. So what if you could actually accomplish more by doing less? Christine Carter says that is not only possible, it is necessary. Christine is author of the book The Sweet Spot: How to Find Your Groove at Home and Work and says when you are busy, busy, busy, you are less effective. Listen to my interview with Christine and you’ll discover: Christine Carter •    How being busy creates “cognitive overload” which hinders clear thinking and decision making. •    Why when you are busy you tend to forget social information like names, dates and appointments. •    How to put more “ease” in your day. •    Why you must stop multi-tasking for the sake of your brain and your body. •    How slowing down isn’t about doing less. •    How your brain drives you nuts until you schedule things in a calendar. I think you will like the suggestions Christine makes. They are easy to implement and will help you feel that sense of ease that so many of us are missing. Please feel free to comment in the box at the bottom of this webpage and if you enjoyed this podcast, feel free to share it on Facebook and Twitter. How to slow down to get more done photo credit: Azayles via photopin cc The post How To Slow Down To Get More Done (Podcast Episode 21) appeared first on Mike Carruthers' Success Mint.

Word-of- mouth. It’s long been touted as the best form of advertising. When you can get people to talk to their friends about your product or service, amazing things can happen. But how does it all work? Why do some products attract that viral type of attention while others don’t? Is it intentional or does it just happen? Ted Wright is the founder and CEO of Fizz, a word-of-mouth marketing firm. Fizz has become a global leader in WOM marketing and is responsible for the resurgence of Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer amongst hipsters. Fizz has also taken AT&T, Intuit & Bissel, amongst other clients, to a whole new level of success thanks to WOM marketing. Ted Wright is also the author of the book Fizz: Harness the Power of Word of Mouth Marketing to Drive Brand Growth. In this podcast you will hear Ted discuss: • How you differentiate a product to create word-of-mouth. • Who are the people (influencers) who actually talk about products to their friends? • The importance of creating a relevant story about a product or service. • The story that help reinvigorate the Bissel carpet sweeper. • How to find influencers – or how to help them find you. I hope you find this conversation as fascinating as I did, and that you will have a better understanding of how viral or word-of-mouth marketing really works and how to take advantage of it. Please feel free to share this post and podcast on Facebook or Twitter and leave your comments in the box at the bottom of this webpage. photo credit: 6 x 9 = 42 via photopin cc How word of mouth marketing really works. The post How Word-of-Mouth Marketing Really Works (Podcast Episode 20) appeared first on Mike Carruthers' Success Mint.

To do anything well, you have to be skilled. But skill isn’t everything. Your attitude – how you deal with people and how you fit in, is incredibly important. When people fail at their job (and a lot of people do) about 90% fail because of their attitude – they just didn’t fit the culture and/or they weren’t motivated enough. That’s according to Mark Murphy author of the book Hiring for Attitude. Listen as he talks about the importance of attitude in today’s business world. He discusses: How skills have become a commodity – a lot of people can do what you do. It’s your attitude that makes the difference. Mark Murphy How it’s important to identify the businesses where you will fit in rather than try to fit in where you don’t belong. There is no one universal “best” attitude. The importance of being “coachable.” Why over 2,000 companies report that the best source of new employees is company referrals. We spend a lot of time making sure we have the skills for the job but fitting in with the people you work with may be even more important. I think after you listen to Mark you’ll have a really good understanding of how important your attitude really is. I invite you to share your comments at the bottom of this webpage. And please feel free to share this post/podcast with your friends on Twitter and Facebook. photo credit: syder.ross via photopin cc How Attitude Makes Or Breaks Success   The post How Attitude Makes Or Breaks Success appeared first on Mike Carruthers' Success Mint.

Ever make a New Year’s resolution – then, despite your best efforts and intentions it just never did quite stick? I suspect that’s happened to everyone.  But it’s not only New Year’s resolutions, it happens all year round to people who set goals for themselves they never quite achieve. So why is this such a common experience?The reasons are many. But you can improve your chances of sticking to a resolution or meeting a goal you set. Time management consultant Mitzi Weinman, author of It’s About Time! discusses what works and what doesn’t work  in this podcast. Specifically she talks about: Mitzi Weinman Four questions you must ask yourself about your each goal and resolution.  How support and motivation is almost always necessary. How a specific goal (I want to lose 15 pounds) is better than vague (I want to lose weight). Why it’s okay to modify the goal as you go. What’s really in it for you? If there is no payoff, there will be no commitment. The more resolutions you make the more likely you are to fail. What happens if you slip? If you really want to make a New Year’s resolution that you will  stick with, I think you will benefit greatly from what Mitzi has to say. As always, please leave your thoughts and comments in the box at the bottom of this webpage that says SPEAK YOUR MIND – and if you think Mitzi’s advice could help others, please share it on Facebook or Twitter. Happy New Year! photo credit: pennstatenews via photopin cc   Anatomy of A New Year’s Resolution The post Anatomy Of A New Year’s Resolution (Podcast Episode 18) appeared first on Mike Carruthers' Success Mint.

I remember a fascinating conversation with physicist Brian Greene on the subject of time. He said that scientifically, there really is no explanation of now. We know what the past is and we know what the future is but now is not quantifiable. Yet, in many ways nothing is more important than now. To me that demonstrates the slipperiness of time. How we perceive the speed of time is also fascinating. Sitting waiting for a movie to start seems to drag on forever. When I sit at the computer trying to figure something out for what seems like ten minutes turns out to have been an hour. Is there a way to get a better handle on time? What if we could control how we perceive time so we could actually feel as if we are slowing it down or speeding up? That would be pretty cool. So invite you to listen to this wonderful conversation with Marney Makridakis who is author of the book, Creating Time. She has a very unusual view of time management. She believes: • You have more time than you think you do. • You can control your perception of time. • There are 2 kinds of time. • Setting artificial deadlines messes up your perception of time. • You have a unique relationship with the different clocks in your life. You will have a very different view of how you manage and spend your time after you listen to this interview. Please let me hear from you in the comments box below if you have a different take on time or wish to comment on what you hear. And please share this with your friends on Facebook or Twitter if you find it enjoyable. Here is my affiliate link to Marney’s book: photo credit: BramstonePhotography via photopin cc Making better use of your time. The post Making Better Use of Your Time (Podcast Episode 17) appeared first on Mike Carruthers' Success Mint.

Is success always off in the distance? For many people success is that pot at the end of the rainbow we can never seems to find. Perhaps it has something to do with how we each define success. Often is that one big thing….”when I make a million dollars..” or “When I start my own business…” Randy Kay When you take a more holistic view of success, you may find you already are successful in many ways. That’s the view taken by Randy Kay a very successful entrepreneur in his own right and author of the book Daily Keys to Success Randy believes there are 6 elements to success: Career Social life Spiritual life Community Financial life Physical well being Without something to show in all those areas, it is hard to be a true success. Join me and listen to this podcast of my interview with Randy Kay as he discusses finding success in what you do now. Specifically he talks about how: Success is unique to each individual Success requires constant learning Finding your true calling Success is not about chasing that 1 big achievement As always, please leave your comments in the comment box at the very bottom of this page and feel free to share this on Face book and Twitter. I really appreciate it. Here is my affiliate link to Randy’s book: photo credit: photo credit: UGArdener via photopin cc   The post Finding Success In What You Do Now (Podcast Epsode 16) appeared first on Mike Carruthers' Success Mint.

Have you thought about starting your own business? Probably. Who hasn’t? But how do you get started? That’s the topic of this podcast. Of course starting a business can be risky. We have all heard that the majority of new businesses fail – and it is true. Now, not to be a downer but before we jump into the” how” of starting a business, you ‘ll hear from Scott Shane author of Scott Shane The Illusions ofEntrepreneurship who speaks frankly about just how successful most entrepreneurs are – and what are some of the big mistakes and missteps they make. Scott’s comments will keep your feet firmly on the ground. Then you’ll hear from Jim Beach. A serial entrepreneur who has written a book called School for Startups. Jim has great insight into how to start a business with very little risk and very little creativity. He talks about: Jim Beach What kind of business to start How much money you should spend Why you should consider a business that also has international customers How the government can help you How Bill Gates almost broke entrepreneurship Real stories of people who made a success with very little risk If starting a business is something you’ve always dreamed of – listening to this podcast will be well worth it. You will walk away with some great ideas off exactly how to get started and what to watch out for. As always, I appreciate your stories and comments and invite you to share this with your friends on Facebook and Twitter and Google+ if you think it would be helpful. More about Jim Beach at: schoolforstartupsradio.com Here are my affiliate links to books mentioned in this podcast:          photo credit: wowser via photopin cc The post The Business of Starting Your Own Business (Podcast Episode 15) appeared first on Mike Carruthers' Success Mint.

It’s hard to imagine being successful at anything without having to fight some battles and face some adversity along the way. The toll those battles take on you can be devastating – if you allow it. So building up your resilience to adversity seems like a pretty important ingredient to success. It is like putting on a suit of armor to protect you in battle. Some people appear to be much more resilient than others. The same adversity that devastates one person, rolls off another like water off a duck. Why is that? Wouldn’t it be nice to know how to be more resilient? That is the subject of this podcast – and my guest is Steven Southwick, MD and author of the book Resilience: The Science of Mastering Life’s Greatest Challenges. I guess you could say he “wrote the book” on resilience. In our discussion, he reveals some interesting findings on effective ways to be more resilient that include altruism and even physical exercise and more. In his research he  interviewed US Army Special Forces soldiers – a group known for their resilience – and reveals their secret to being resilient in the face of real, honest to God battle. Dr. Steven Southwick Dr. Southwick defines resilience this way: “Resilience is the ability to bend but not break and to bounce back from adversity and often to continue to grow.” Lack of resilience is linked to a host of health problems, mental and physical. So this is important information for everyone who feels stressed out and overwhelmed. I think you will enjoy what he has to say. As always I appreciate your comments in the box below and ask that you share on Facebook and Twitter if you think this podcast is important. photo credit: marco monetti via photopin cc The post How To Be More Resilient in the Face of Adversity (Podcast Episode 14) appeared first on Mike Carruthers' Success Mint.

(Win a copy of the book Your Hidden Riches,  written by today’s guest, Chris Attwood. Just leave a meaningful comment about this podcast. You must subscribe to the Daily Success Mint so we have an email to contact you. Complete details at the bottom of this post.) — What rituals have you incorporated into your life? Chances are you have several of them and there’s also a good chance you don’t really talk about them with anyone. Maybe it’s the way you put your socks on or maybe it’s simply saying grace before a meal. Rituals clearly serve a purpose, yet we don’t usually take time to examine them. We just have them. Chris Attwood Chris Attwood has taken the time to examine them. He’s explored how daily rituals drive success. And what he has discovered is really quite fascinating. He is the co-author of the best selling book The Passion Test and he has written a new book about the power of rituals called Your Hidden Riches: Unleashing the Power of Ritual to Create a Life of Meaning and Purpose. He discusses the rituals of from very famous people such as Simon Cowell, Warren Buffet, Ben Franklin and tennis star Serena Williams. And he explains how you can use rituals in your life in a simple yet very productive way. Please give a listen by using the player above, or you can download the podcast or subscribe to it in iTunes. Do you have a ritual? I ‘d love to hear about it. Please let me know by using the comment box below. If you like this podcast, I invite you to please share it on Facebook and Twitter. photo credit: visualpanic via photopin cc All book links on this page are my affiliate links. (To be eligible to win the free copy of Chris’s book, you must post  a meaningful comment below in the comments box regarding this podcast no later than midnight Sunday, 11/9/2014. Comments don’t immediately appear, they must be moderated first. You MUST subscribe to the Daily Success Mint so we have an email to contact you. You can always unsubscribe afterwards. Then one person will be chosen at random to win. That person will be contacted via email to get a mailing address to send the book. That person must respond with 72 hours. If we receive no response we will select another winner.  Winner will be announced in an upcoming post. ) The post How Daily Rituals Drive Success (Podcast Episode 13) appeared first on Mike Carruthers' Success Mint.

Admit it. You are hiding a BIG part of you. It’s that part you don’t want anyone else to see. The part of you that gets angry, frustrated, sad, selfish – even mean sometimes. That’s your “dark side.” We hide that side of ourselves because we believe it turns people off and gets in the way of cooperation. Yet it may be, when used properly, the perfect fuel to achieve more for yourself than you ever imagined. In fact, being kind and polite has been proven to be counterproductive to performance and achievement. How can that be? Here is a simple example that makes the point: Every year people die because they don’t call 911. They don’t want to bother the fire department, they want to be considerate of their time – “My emergency is not that big of a deal.” And then they drop dead. If instead they demanded someone call 911 and to hell with bothering the fire department – “That’s their job, damn it!” They may have gotten the care they needed in time and might still be alive. It has been documented (by my podcast guest) that organizations where people are overly polite and have too much camaraderie (everyone is a pal) don’t perform as well as those who are less considered about everybody getting along. My guest, Todd Kashdan, Professor of Psychology at George Mason University has studied this and the results of his work are in his new book The Upside of Your Dark Side He has some pretty compelling evidence and insight into this. I think you will find our conversation fascinating and may make you rethink the positive aspects of your dark side. By using your dark side to succeed, you will be joining an impressive list of accomplished people who realize that those “dark” emotions, thoughts and feelings can be put to very productive use – without hurting anyone else. After you listen I would love to get your thoughts. Please leave your comments in the comment box below. Here is my affiliate link to Todd’s book: photo credit: Luminis Kanto via photopin cc The post Using Your Dark Side to Succeed and Achieve (Podcast Episode 12) appeared first on Mike Carruthers' Success Mint.

           I know I don’t really respond well to criticism. I’m not sure who does. Who wants to be criticized? But taking criticism is necessary if you want to get better – and giving criticism is necessary because it is often part of the job. The word criticism has a negative connotation to it. So much so, that we have replaced it with words like, “feedback,” “review”, “evaluation” “caring confrontation” or if we do use the word “criticism” we stick the word “constructive” in front of it to soften the meaning. Yet, no matter how you dress it up, criticism is criticism. It is telling someone what they did was wrong. Where I think we get confused is – what is the intention of the criticism and what are we supposed to do with it once we get it? Is it to hurt or is it to help? In today’s politically correct, overly positive, conflict averse, everybody-has-to-get-along work environment, criticism doesn’t fit in all that well. No one wants to give it and no one wants to get it. We have all witnessed or been the recipient of criticism that has been mean, hurtful or damaging. It can sap a person’s confidence and set them off course. Criticism is a powerful tool or a powerful weapon  depending on how you use it. I’ve been criticized and I’ve been critical of others. I prefer to avoid it as it all seems very unpleasant – but it’s part of life and I always figured there isn’t much more to say about it. Then along comes Deb Bright who has a new book out called The Truth Doesn’t Have to Hurt: How to Use Criticism to Strengthen Relationships, Improve Performance, and Promote Change.I interviewed her and what she has to say is really a breath of fresh air on the whole subject of criticism. I invite you to listen to our conversation using the audio player above. One of the great points she makes is that we typically think the person GIVING the criticism is the one with the power. It is actually the person receiving the criticism who holds the power. Because the receiver can question it, demand proof of it, and then ignore the criticism entirely anyway. So the real magic of criticism is to give it in a way the recipient wants to receive it. And you do that by asking. It’s amazingly simple yet makes perfect sense. If you want to criticize me, screaming and yelling at me isn’t going to work well. For other people, they don’t mind that approach. But you’ll never know unless you ask. So, please listen to my conversation with Deb and discover how to give criticism and still be friends. – as you will hear in my conversation with Deb. She was world class diver who had a coach that yelled and screamed and it didn’t bother her a bit. Why? I’ll let her tell you in our conversation – it’s right at the very beginning. So give a listen and discover how to give criticism and still be friends. It is possible. Below is my affiliate link to her book on the topic and if you want more – you can contact her through her website, www.DrBright.com Please leave a comment below or share this on Facebook or Twitter using the share buttons. I would really appreciate it. And remember you can subscribe to our podcasts on iTunes. The post How to Give Criticism and Still Be Friends (Podcast Episode 11) appeared first on Mike Carruthers' Success Mint.

It is one of the greatest fears of human beings – the fear of public speaking. Yet you will have to do it if you haven’t already. So how do you reduce the fear and nervousness and deliver what people came to see and here? In this podcast you will hear 7 secrets to better public speaking from: Darlene Price Speech coach, Darlene Price author of Well Said!: Presentations and Conversations That Get Results Jason Teteak, founder of RuleTheRoom.com  where he coaches leaders on how to be more effective in speeches and presentations. Here is what we cover: Why public speaking is so terrifying. How much time you need to prepare and practice a presentation. Why you can and should ask the audience what they want and expect. Can you take notes up with you? Why you need a hook to get the audience to crave what you have to say – and how to create Jason Teteak one. The essence of a good delivery. How to optimize your body language and voice tone Please give a listen – and I invite you to please leave a comment below in the comment box. You can subscribe to Success Mint podcasts on iTunes. Just click here. And while you are there, please leave a review and rating. I would really appreciate it! – Mike photo credit: WilliamMarlow via photopin cc The post 7 Secrets to Better Public Speaking (Podcast Episode 10) appeared first on Mike Carruthers' Success Mint.

(You can subscribe to our podcasts in iTunes. Click this link to go there. I would greatly appreciate it if you would give a rating or review when you get there). There’s a scene in an episode of the old TV series “WKRP in Cincinnati” where Herb Tarlek, the radio station sales manager, is trying to sell a car dealer on buying radio advertising and the car dealer is trying to sell Herb a new car – all in the same conversation. Both are just blurting out their sales pitch and neither is listening to the other. That scene popped into my head when as I was interviewing Lon Safko for this podcast. Lon is brilliant when it comes to social media and was one of the early believers in its potential. Now ten years later, Lon’s message is very different. Why? Everybody is talking (posting and tweeting) and nobody’s listening – just like Herb Tarlek and his car dealer buddy. How bad is the problem and how do we combat that? Is social media dead? That is what you’ll hear in this podcast – and if you use social media for any reason, I think you’ll find what Lon has to say quite fascinating. Lon Safko is the author of The Social Media Bible and The Fusion Marketing Bible You can find Lon www.LonSafko.com The post Is Social Media Dead, Dying or Doing Just Fine? (Podcast Episode 9) appeared first on Mike Carruthers' Success Mint.

If you want to be rich, what’s the best way to do it? That’s the subject of this podcast. My guest is W. Randal Jones who is the founder of Worth magazine and author of “The Richest Man in Town.” In the interview you’ll hear Randy discuss: The necessity of finding your “perfect pitch” if you ever want to be wealthy. How money can buy happiness if you do it right. How most wealthy people are addicted to ambition. The difference between good wealth and bad wealth. How failure is an essential part of building wealth. Please click PLAY and listen to discover how normal people get wealthy. You can also listen and subscribe to all our podcasts on iTunes And please leave a comment below in the comment box. I read all comments and respond when appropriate. I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas and welcome your suggestions. Here is my affiliate link to Randal’s book: photo credit: http://bit.ly/10GmGdl The post How Normal People Get Wealthy (Podcast Episode 8) appeared first on Mike Carruthers' Success Mint.

  I’m a worrier – have been all my life. As far as I can see, there isn’t a lot of upside to it. I envy those people who seem so carefree as if the don’t have a worry in the world. Worry kills success because the time spent worrying could’ve been spent on something more productive. Plus worry can make you depressed and way too cautious. While I don’t believe a worrier can become a non-worrier completely, I think there are some great strategies to help you control worry and get to the things that are truly important. In this podcast you’ll hear those strategies from three experts on the subject as well as some advice from my own experience. I hope you enjoy it, but I am going to try not to worry about it. Below are my affiliate links to the books mentioned in this podcast. photo credit: photoloni via photopin cc            The post Worry! The Arch Enemy of Success (Podcast Episode 7) appeared first on Mike Carruthers' Success Mint.

Shut up, pay attention, lean in, paraphrase and mirror back. That’s the standard “be a better listener” advice. And it’s fine as far as it goes. In this podcast you’ll discover how to take your listening skills to an entirely new level.Dr. Mark Goulston is a psychiatrist, speaker and author of the book “Just Listen.” Mark will make you think about listening in a whole new way. It’s not about – NOT talking – it’s about drilling deeper and being willing to hear and understand what the other person is saying – even if it makes you a bit uncomfortable. Listen to this podcast and you will never listen the same way again – to anyone. After you listen, please leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you. Below are links to Mark’s website and to his book on amazon.com (affiliate link). www.MarkGoulston.com photo credit: World Economic Forum via photopin cc       The post Essential Skills To Be A Better Listener (Podcast 006) appeared first on Mike Carruthers' Success Mint.

  Appearance counts. People judge you by what they see. And that judgement  sticks with them for a long time. So why make image mistakes that can count against you. In this video we look at: The importance of making a good first impression. Why attractive, well-dressed people make more money and get promoted faster. How anyone can look more attractive. Common image mistakes people make and what to do instead. What do you think? Do you pay attention to the image you project? Do you care if you make image mistakes? Should the clothes you wear really matter? Please leave a comment below and tell me what you think. _____________________ Here are links to what is discussed in this video: Manhattan Makeovers Photo Credits Clark Gable photo, Cary Grant photo: & photo of actresses with butler: photo credit: thefoxling via photopin cc Loafers: photo credit: Robert Sheie via photopin cc Women’s shoes: Huzzah Vintage via photopin cc Suit & Red tie _Davo_ via photopin cc The post 5 Image Mistakes You May Be Making appeared first on Mike Carruthers' Success Mint.

In this, the fourth podcast (but the FIRST video podcast) I discuss risk taking. It turns out that people near the end of their lives are more likely to regret NOT taking risks than taking them. It is the road NOT taken. What have you thought about doing but worried that it was TOO risky? Will you one day regret not giving it a try? Please watch and listen and please leave a comment below. I read them all and reply when appropriate. Here are links to things discussed in this podcast: Amazon FBA Program Man on mountaintop photo credit: Paxson Woelber via photopin cc The post The Risks of Not Taking Risks – (Video Podcast 004) appeared first on Mike Carruthers' Success Mint.

I’ve never thought of myself as particularly good at adopting new habits. Like most people, I try things but they don’t stick so I tend to revert back to my old ways unless I get very intentional about it. Sound familiar? I think most people have the same problem.In order to change any habit, I’ve heard experts say that it takes something like 30 repetitions of an action to make a habit stick. That sounds about right, but there has got to be more to it than that. It turns out there is a lot of research done on how habits do and don’t work. And one of the authorities on the subject is New York Times, Pulitzer Prize winning writer Charles Duhigg. Charles wrote a great book called The Power of Habit that really unlocks the mysteries of why good habits are hard to adopt and bad habits are hard to break. I spoke with Charles and I’ve created a short podcast of my interview with him. I think you’ll find it interesting. If you (or even if you don’t), please leave a comment or question below. Follow @SuccessMint //   Check out Charles’ book (affiliate link) Charles Duhigg website: www.CharlesDuhigg.com The post How To Change Any Habit (Podcast 003) appeared first on Mike Carruthers' Success Mint.

Is good marketing dead? With 35 + years of experience, Steve Cone, author of Steal These Ideas!: Marketing Secrets That Will Make You a Star (Bloomberg) has some terrific insight into the subject. In this episode you’ll discover: The 23/63 Syndrome (23 year old marketing people creating ads for 63 year consumers) The facts about serif vs. sans serif type. The importance of slogans & tag lines. How to make the “call to action” the hero of your marketing. And much more… You may  disagree with what Steve has to say. So please click the player above to listen and leave your comments below. I do read them and comment when appropriate. Steve Cone   The post Marketing Basics (Podcast 002) appeared first on Mike Carruthers' Success Mint.