| Ron Culberson | Do it Well. Make it Fun. | Funny Motivational Speaker | Author

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High School Freshman Uses BASSic Skills to Support Charity

May 10, 2013

IMG 1513 300x225 High School Freshman Uses BASSic Skills to Support Charity As parents, we get invited to a lot of events when our kids are growing up. There are band concerts, scouting events, graduation parties, and the occasional fundraiser to support the many extracurricular programs that seem to always need more funds to do what they do. Thank goodness my kids didn’t have to sell Amway rug cleaner like I did.

Recently, Denton Knight, the ninth grade son of friends of ours, came up with what I think is a brilliant, yet slightly quirky idea. He held a private bass concert to support a local center for the homeless. And I’m referring to the orchestra bass, not the fish.

It all started as part of the confirmation process at his church. The project is based on the Parable of the Talents, which essentially suggests that we should take what we’re given by God and do more with it. Denton was to take a small amount of seed money and turn it into something more, or better. He took the idea of “talent” seriously and felt that he should use his own talent for good. He conducted an inventory of his talents and determined that what he knows best is how to play an upright bass. So, he decided to hold a concert to raise money for the homeless center.

He enlisted the help of two other bassists (who knew there were so many?) and turned his living room into a small-scale and less acoustically engineered Carnegie Hall.

And it worked.

It was a delightful afternoon of classical music, hot coffee and delicious baked goods that Denton helped prepare. Plus, there were a multitude of professional-looking bows by the performers as the audience of friends and family applauded the performances.

So what’s the point?

What if each of us not only discovered our true talents but used them for good? Heck, what if we simply used our talents more effectively in our day-to-day work? Either way, I bet we’d make the world a better place. When we connect our gifts to our purpose, it’s amazing what we can do.

I must admit, I wasn’t really excited about spending my Sunday afternoon listening to a group of ninth graders play their stringed instruments. My daughter played a violin and stringed instruments are just not very forgiving of an inexperienced errant bow position. But the longer I sat there listening to the classical solos and duets, the more I realized I was witnessing something much bigger. I was watching a young man applying a life lesson that had the potential of making a huge difference in his life and the lives of others.

BASSically, that’s pretty cool.

Stepping Out of the Routine

March 7, 2013

Many of us live in an world of regular routines and yet we have multiple opportunities to live in a world of new experiences. The familiar can limiting but the unfamiliar can open up many possibilities.

My daily exercise routine often takes the form of brisk walking through our neighborhood and then through an adjacent cemetery. The cemetery keep my cynicism in check as I am reminded of the whole above- and below-ground situation.

So, I take the same path every day because I like my routines – I like the familiar. However, the other day, my wife suggested we walk on the trail behind our neighborhood instead. Wives are good like that. Always pushing the envelope.

I know about these trails…sort of. I know about them the same way I know many of my neighbors. I know they exist but I don’t know their names, their professions, or what their hobbies are. Essentially, I don’t really know them.

So walking on the trail was a new experience for me.

Sugarland Run 150x112 Stepping Out of the Routine

Sugarland Run Trail
Herndon, VA

The trail system is way more extensive than I imagined. The trails wind throughout the woods and in between neighborhoods. They cross the Sugarland Run stream frequently, and at times, you would swear you’re deep in the forest. Yet you’re only minutes from a major highway and a mere 20 miles from Washington, DC.

I’ve lived in my neighborhood for 16 years but never considered walking on the trails. Go figure. In my mind, the trails seemed mysterious and unknown while my neighborhood sidewalks and the cemetery were familiar and part of my daily routine. Yet, once I walked the trails, I realized how wonderfully therapeutic this new option was – and it was there all along.

Routines give us comfort because they are reliable and familiar. But when we’re locked into them, we’re avoiding new growth experiences.

The musical director for KA, one of Cirque du Soleil shows, spoke at a conference I attended. He said that when they’re discussing a new show and someone comes up with an idea, no one in the room ever says, “we can’t do that.” Instead, they say, “how can we make that happen?” Their normal way of thinking is to get out of the routine way of thinking. That’s pretty cool.

I like my routines and I suspect that I will hold onto many of them. Yet I am constantly reminded of the benefits of new experiences. So, with the help of my envelope-pushing wife, I will try to break out of my routines whenever I can.

All it took to walk these new trails was taking the first step. That seems doable.

NY Math Museum Turns Mundane Into Fun

December 21, 2012

When I show speakers how to add humor to a presentation, inevitably, an accountant or an engineer in the audience will say that they don’t see how they can make their topic funny. My initial thought is, “It’s just like an accountant or an engineer to think that way.”

Then I remember that I’m married to an engineer and I come up with a much more appropriate response like, “What, are you crazy?”

You see, a speaker with a serious or technical topic has the greatest potential for adding fun and humor because nobody is expecting it. The contrast between the serious and the funny makes both more powerful.

And that is the strategy behind the new (and only) National Museum of Mathematics that opened last week in Manhattan. You can read more about it here: MoMath

They’ve taken a relatively boring concept, math, and made it more accessible and more fun. Which is exactly what you do to engage an audience. Make the information accessible and fun.

The museum includes a square-wheeled tricycle, a “wall of fire” laser exhibit, and an Enigma Cafe offering food for the mind, not the body. How cool is that?

The next time you’re in Manhattan, check it out. It’s a great example of Do it Well, Make it Fun.

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Running Away from New Experiences

October 23, 2012

Recently, I read an article about a man who is running from Los Angeles to San Francisco…backwards…to inspire people to try something new. Apparently, this guy has been running backwards for 46 years and even competed in few marathons. It brings a whole new meaning to “he took out several competitors along the way.”

I think it’s admirable that he is encouraging people to try something new. In fact, I tend to be a little too deeply ingrained in past habits and patterns so I could stand to try a few new things myself. But I couldn’t help thinking that while this guy is doing something different, the whole time he’s running, he’s looking at where he’s been. And it strikes me as a bit ironic that the whole idea of doing something new means letting go of the past, or where we’ve been, in hopes of experiencing new ideas and adventures.

So, as you think about your own work or personal life, is the past keeping you from going a new direction? If so, make sure you’re facing the right way so that you can see the new possibilities in front of you rather than hanging on to the limitations of the past.

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Making Your Writing Better and More Fun

September 19, 2012

This is a great article from Ragan Communications on how to improve your writing. Here is a taste and a link to the entire article.

The artwork of M.C. Escher shows crazy worlds in which staircases appear to go nowhere and people “sit” upside down or sideways.
The plywood pillar at your local museum is painted a creamy, mottled white, with deep grey veins and other imperfections so the plywood looks like marble.
When you put your dinner on a 12-inch plate instead of a 17-inch one, you eat less food and feel more satisfied by it.

What do these three facts have in common? They are all optical illusions. Illusions are important in writing, too. A piece that looks great will read better than one that is visually dull or confusing.

To read the rest of the article, go here: Optical illusions to enhance your writing

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German Urinals Are Aiming for Success

September 13, 2012

WARNING: This is a blog with TMI (Too Much Information). Read at your own discretion.

A few days ago, I was in Duseldorf, Germany. I was there as president of the National Speakers Association visiting our German counterparts at the German Speakers Association Convention. It was a great experience and my hosts were both gracious and welcoming. But, you may be as surprised as I was that they did not serve German chocolate cake even once during my entire visit.

Anyway, at one of the breaks between sessions and after consuming way too much espresso, I ducked into the “toilet” (the European version of a restroom). That’s when I notice a flattened fly attached to the inside bowl of the urinal. While I’m not accustomed to seeing this, it could be perfectly normal as I am not familiar with the landing habits of German flies.

Please note that many of my women readers might not realize that when men are presented with any kind of debris in a urinal or toilet bowl, we are compelled by our genetic predisposition to aim at it. I’m not sure what form of Darwinian survival mechanism this might account for but having been a man most of my life (and a boy before that), I can assure you that it’s deeply embedded in our autonomic reflexes.

So, when I saw the fly, I did what I was innately led to do. I aimed at it. But it didn’t move. Feeling a bit inadequate, I looked around to make sure nobody saw that I missed and my eye caught something in the unattended urinal right next to me. There was a fly in that urinal too. Now I am both intrigued and a bit alarmed. Once the bathroom was empty I leaned over to get a closer look. Turns out, it was not a real fly but a decal. A fly decal in every one of the urinals in this German toilet. Now I’m thinking the Germans are much funnier than they let on.

The first chance I got after I left the bathroom, I asked one of my colleagues about the flies. He laughed and explained that some research project had proved that when men have something to aim at, the restrooms tend to be cleaner. Apparently, we, as a species are less disciplined when there’s nothing to aim at. I was shocked…and thoroughly delighted. It took going all the way to Dusseldorf to find what I believe might be the best example of Do it Well, Make it Fun I’ve ever seen.

Remember that the philosophy of Do it Well, Make it Fun is to seek excellence while making the process fun. With the urinal flies, the bathrooms are reportedly 60-80% cleaner. The Germans (and the Dutch, I understand) are achieving excellence through a fun, funny, and slightly bizarre technique. And if you doubt me, feel free to read a reference to the strategy in this NY Times article: Urinal Flies Work

So, as you aim for success in your life, your work, or even in your bathroom, please remember the urinal fly. Success doesn’t have to be hard. It can be easy and fun. Just remember to Do it Well, Make it Fun…and don’t make a mess.

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I’m More Creative in Coffee Shops

July 27, 2012

For a long time, I’ve known that I’m more creative when working in a coffee shop. In fact, I should be a venti shareholder at Starbucks by now based on the number of soy lattes I’ve purchased while developing material or writing a column.

Interestingly, a recent research study at the University of Illinois confirmed that we actually do our best thinking in a coffee shop instead of a quiet office.

Apparently, a moderate level of background noise promotes creativity. Of course, since I work in a home office, I can assure you that a moderate level of teenage background noise does not have the same effect. But in a coffee shop, the murmur of caffeinated conversations does the trick.

For me, this is the exciting part of personal development – finding new and creative ways to be successful in life and work. I’m delighted to know that there is scientific evidence to support my trips to Starbucks. I will definitely show my wife the research results when our card bill comes in at the end of the month.

Where do you do your best work? If you’re feeling stuck or uninspired, perhaps you need to try a new environment. Try your local coffee shop. You might just find that you’re a latte more productive!

Brave’s Princess Merida’s Hair is Done Very Well

June 26, 2012

There is a great article in USA Today about the success Pixar’s animators had in creating the hair for Brave’s Princess Merida. You can read the entire article here: Animation Sensation.

In order to make Merida’s hair look real, it took animators and engineers three years to create the technology and then design the animation for the intricately flowing locks.

That’s amazing!

When I think of the work that I do, I haven’t spent three years dedicated to any of it. Oh sure, I’ve spent a lot of time on projects (like my new book that’s still available on Amazon!) but I tend to get distracted by unimportant tasks and don’t really focus as I should.

I love a recent Twitter post by writer Anne Lamott. She said that some days, she only focuses on improving one piece of mediocre writing. She’s not doing a lot of different tasks. Instead, she’s focused on what needs to be done.

Imagine how good we’d be at our work, our craft, or even our hobbies if we spent as much time as Pixar’s animators did on just the hair of their lead character.

They really did it well.

Creative Use of Resources

April 12, 2012

I love to read about people or organizations who come up with creative solutions to problems while taking advantage of existing resources. An article in AARP (yes, I’m over 50) recently reported on a program started by the US Department of Veteran’s Affairs in Little Rock, Arkansas. It’s a caregiving match program through which veterans in need are matched with civilians who would be willing to provide care for them. The civilians are compensated and the veterans have a home in which to receive care.

If you’d like to read the entire article, you can find it here: Another Place Like Home.

The Fear of Failure is Worse Than Failure

April 3, 2012

CNN recently published a wonderful article on failure as described by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jennifer Egan. You can read it here: The Success of Failure.

What struck me most about the article was that there were two times when Egan faces failure. When she sits down to write and when she edits what’s already written. Most successful writers know that the first draft is not the finished product. In fact, Anne Lamott refers to the first attempt at any writing as a “shitty first draft.” So, you’d think that they would simply write, knowing that it will need to be revised. But therein lies the problem – facing the writing, as if it should be perfect, and facing the editing.

Egan says the key is “struggling a lot.”

I don’t like failing, or struggling for that matter. I think, early in life, I somehow learned that it was wrong to fail. That perhaps only lesser people failed and if I failed, I would somehow be lesser. The impact of this misbelief is that I don’t like to put the hard work into the struggle. I’d prefer to avoid the pain of both the work and the potential for failure.

What’s fascinating is that this fear of failure is more powerful than the failure itself.

Whenever I’ve failed, I either fixed my mistake or simply apologized when fixing it was no longer an option. However, prior to taking on a particular project, I can create a fantasy about the potential failure that is far worse than the failure itself. I’m thinking Jaws when the reality is more like Nemo.

Success and growth come from living through failure and learning from it. If no one every failed, we’d live in a very boring, unimaginative, and stagnant world. We need risk and failure to move forward.

So, whattya say we try to nip the fear of failure in the bud and allow ourselves to step into the abyss (which is way more shallow than we believe) and reap the benefits of the success that come from failure?

I don’t think we can really fail.

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