With less than 2 weeks to go before Christmas, many of you are probably rushing around tying up loose ends and getting ready to usher in the new year.  It’s a great time to stop and reflect on where you are and where you want to go.  Adversity University has come a long way since it began in 2006 and it didn’t grow by leaps and bounds alone.  In fact, none of us are capable of moving forward without some help.  This is where gratitude comes in.  (Photo credit:  labutle).   

Along the way, I’ve made countless friends and new connections.  My weekly gratitude post has become a powerful way to shine the spotlight on those who have helped me along the way.

This week’s gratitude goes to:

Ron McDaniel, the creator of popular Buzzoodle for listing Adversity University in Explore Successful Personal Brands.  Among those on the list are famous brand name personalities like Donald Trump, Tim Ferriss, Jack Canfield and Rachel Ray.  In this article, he asks readers to identify what everyone on that list was best known for and how they were able to brand themselves successfully.  Even though Adversity University has a ways to go to catch up to the likes of Trump’s brand name, I was grateful and humbled to be listed among them.  Thank you Ron!    

Christine O’Kelly of Self Made Chick, does it again with her timely article How to Get What You’re Worth.  She lists 3 major reasons why those who are in business for themselves have a hard time coming up with a price for their services.  Even if you’re not in “business,” you can still apply her wisdom.  For example, let’s say someone wants to talk to you about an idea or maybe enlist your help with a project.  Do you consider your time valuable?  Perhaps you don’t want to charge for your time because it’s a friend who is requesting your time.  Instead of spending 30 to 45 minutes driving to meet that person, why not ask if your friend could meet halfway or even at your home instead?  That way you could use the time you would have spent driving doing something more productive.  Radical, arrogant or simply common sense?  What do you think?

Have you ever seen a square watermelon?  Would you believe me if I told you there was such a thing?  Jay White of Dumb Little Man (what a unique brand name!) reminds all of us in Square Watermelon Problem Solving that if we dug a little more, we’d find a well of creative ideas inside us waiting to be brought to the light.  Apparently some creative people in Japan came up with the idea of growing watermelons in square boxes to solve a major shipping problem.  In a world where nothing is new these days, this article goes to show that it is indeed possible to be original.  Thanks to Jay for the inspiring article!

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