Boy, I can’t tell you how excited I am to be doing this interview with one of the most well-known and likable bloggers in the world!   A few days ago I wrote a preview of today’s interview, explaining how I got to know him and why I am doing this interview.  Before you dive into the first part of my interview with Phil, I would recommend you read the preview first.

Okay, okay, (excitement building), we have a very special guest on today’s show.  Without further ado, let’s welcome Phil Gerbyshak of MAKE IT GREAT!  (Audience applauding wildly).

Phil, welcome to Stephen Hopson Interviews!  Nothing gives me more pleasure to have you here today.  In an interesting sort of way, your presence here today signals that our blogging friendship, which began in early 2007, has come a full circle.  You had once interviewed me several months ago and now I am turning the tables and interviewing you!  How cool is that?

Let’s get started, shall we Phil?  (He’s beaming like hell by this point - just look at the photo!)

1.  One of my favorite questions when I want to learn about someone is by asking them to give me their 5 second introduction when I pose the question:  “What do you do for a living?”

I work with people who want to take their life to a new level, to make it great!

2.  Tell me in 3 to 5 sentences something we can’t read in your bio or at the “About Page” at your blog “Make it Great!”

Tough question! Let me try to share something new, as I think I’m pretty transparent. I have 2 younger brothers who each have baby girls just about a year old, and I love to be “Uncle Phil.” I don’t have nearly enough time to spend with them, because I stay busy writing, speaking, coaching and training in addition to a 50 hour a week job as a vice president of information technology at a regional financial services company based in Milwaukee, WI.

Stephen’s Response:  I like asking tough questions because it makes my guests think a little more and give a authentic responses rather than “just another bland answer.”  Professor Hopson wants DEPTH!  And you, my friend, certainly rose to the occasion.  I would never have known you loved playing the role of “Uncle Phil” to those two little girls!

3. How long have you been blogging at “Make it Great!”? 

I’ve been writing since March 4, 2005. It’s easy for me to remember because it’s 03/04/05.

Stephen’s Response:  My gosh, I didn’t understand the significance of the date until I re-read your response:  3, 4 5!   I would never have thought of remembering it that way. 

4.  How did you come up with that very interesting and eye-catching  title?

Make it Great! came about because of a lot of word play and trial and error. Reading a lot of self-help and business books made me realize there’s a lot of stuff out there that I couldn’t apply. Heady stuff that was meant to be helpful, but didn’t have actionable steps that I could take to improve my life. It was like the saying “Have a nice day.” What does that mean?

So I took “Have a nice day” and I asked myself how I could improve upon it. I broke it apart, and realized that “have” was a very passive word, like I “have” a glass of water, or I “have” an apple. I also realized nice was a word I hated. Nice is just so…flat and boring. So taking those 2 words, I set out to improve upon both of them.

“Make” is different from “have” in that “make” means you actually DID something, like you MAKE a loaf of bread. I liked that, because life is that way. You have to MAKE something happen if you want it to improve.

Great is a superlative. It means outstanding, better than good, better than nice. It’s great!

I was originally going to call it “Make a Great Day” but it seemed like nice to me. It didn’t stick. So I put “it” in between make and great, and now you have make IT great, whatever IT is in your life. IT is all about the power of possibility.

Stephen’s Response:  That has got to be the most detailed response I’ve ever heard on the subject of how a blog’s title was created.  You really broke it down and analyzed it, didn’t you?  Well, believe it or not, Make it GREAT! is something of a mantra in my head these days.  It has an almost “musical quality” to it when I allow it to bounce around inside my mind.  Not only that, but it’s also filled with actionable power.  It’s definitely not passive.  You have some valuable tips on how to come up with a name for a blog, especially for those just getting started. 

The only other thing I would add to your answer Phil, is that whatever name you come up with, at least make it memorable and easy to remember.  I’m no blogging “expert” but I think it makes pretty good sense. 

5.  What is the real reason you started ”Make it Great!”?

The real reason I started Make It Great! is because I wanted to write a book about how I improved my life, and I couldn’t get started. I talked to Scott Ginsberg and he said the best way to do that was to write every day. He shared that a blog was free and easy to do, and that once I started writing every day, I’d find out if I really loved to write or if it was a hassle. After nearly 3 years, it’s safe to say I love to write my blog.

I keep writing because I cherish the interaction with my readers. They’re all my friends now, and without them, my life would be less complete.

Stephen’s Response:  When I first started Adversity University back in 2006, Scott’s name somehow floated across my radar and so I started reading his articles.  He became an inspiring example of someone who wrote non-stop.  So I started to do that myself and found that I truly enjoyed writing, especially when the words were flowing easily and effortlessly.   Writing nurtures my soul and gives me a spiritual “high.”   I write every single day although not necessarily for this blog but because I am at the keyboard constantly, I’m always challenging myself to write better.  Like you, I also cherish interaction with my readers.  Now the only thing I need to do is actually meet them in person! 

6.  One of the reasons why you’re being interviewed, Phil, is because you’re one of the most inspiring, authentic people I’ve met in the blogosphere since I began blogging.  You reached out to me when I was just getting started.  You write with zeal and authenticity.  How did you become like this?

Thank you Stephen. That’s a great thing to say. Authenticity is one of the only strings I’ve got to play on, so I’m glad that comes through loud and clear. I’d say the same about the zeal I write.

I can’t point to one event and say this is what made me who I am, it’s been a process that I am still working towards. Every day, I look at myself in the mirror and I say “Am I ready to make it great! today?” If I’m not, while I’m taking a shower, or while I’m working out, I think about why I’m not. What needs to change? And if it’s something I can change, which it usually is just my attitude, I do change it. I reframe it in a more positive light, and I think about how it can be better, how I can make it better. And that energizes and excites me to know I can improve my life.

And so I write. I share my authentic self, my zeal, in my writings, even though sometimes it hurts to share what I do. I write for me, and the fact that readers connect with it is a bonus.

Stephen’s Response:  This reminds of me of a saying that life is all about having a relationship with ourselves first before we can have one with others.  If we are at a place where we can share a piece of ourselves in an authentic way, we automatically open the way to help others, which has a healing effect on ourselves.  There’s something to be said about the exchange of energy that happens when we share what we’ve been through and how we came out of it.  In a funny sort of way, and this might not make sense at first but helping ourselves and then reaching out is a very selfish act.  But it’s a “good” selfish act.  Truly ironic, if you think about it. 

7.  The reason Make it Great! is so successful is because there’s a real human being behind it.  You allow yourself to be transparent and honest.  If I were to ask you to dig a little further, how would you define who you really are?

Who am I? I’m a normal guy living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who is always looking for new ways to improve his world. I’m imperfect, I fail frequently but I never give up, and I realize that only I can choose my attitude. While life may not be perfect, I can choose my attitude, and I can choose how I respond to what happens to me.

I’d also say that I am a guy who’s dedicated to serving others. The more I can serve and help others, the better, the richer, my life is. And I try to serve others every day, in every way, I can.

Stephen’s Response:  Phil, that’s really powerful.  And like I said earlier, the more we help others, the more we help ourselves.   I sense that you’re not trying to be Mother (or Father) Teresa.  What you’re trying to do is help yourself.  And the more you help others, the more you help yourself.  I don’t have the exact words for this, but something magical takes place when we dedicate ourselves to make the connection with others and in the process close the gap that society places upon us.  Somehow when we see those gaps narrow, even a little bit, we feel uplifted.  We feel like we matter.  We feel like we’re actually making a difference.  Yes, that’s what I’m trying to say.  We want to feel as if what we are doing is making an impact not only on others but also on ourselves. 

8.    What is the best advice you’ve ever received?  Given?

The best advice I’ve ever gotten is “Play full out. All the time. Leave it all on the table, and go home tired.” This gift was given to me in various ways, at various times in my life, from various people, and it sticks with me and it defines how I live.

In addition to the best advice I ever received, I’d add this to make it even more impactful: “Life is 1% what happens to you and 99% how you respond to it.”

Stephen’s Response:  Oh, Phil, you truly nailed it with your your last sentence.  Gosh, YES!  I constantly write and speak about how life is a matter of perception and from there it’s how you respond to it.  Yes, Uncle Phil, you truly got that one right!

9.  What do you consider your proudest achievement in life?

The fact that I self-published my first book is my biggest achievement to date. I expect that each book I write will be like a child, with me loving each one as much, but differently, as the previous one, so for now, it’s my first one.

Stephen’s Response:  I’d have to say that self publishing your first book is a GREAT achievement.  I continue to procrastinate about publishing mine.  I have a manuscript all ready to go but I am not always sure of what the next step should be.  You’ve inspired me today to put this project back on my radar and doing something - anything — maybe an e-book for starters.  Thanks for the push. 

Well, folks, that’s the end of Part I, (turning to him and clasping his hands firmly), thank you so much Phil.  I can tell you enjoyed this interview as much as I did.  We are all looking forward to having you back next week! (Update:   Click here for Part II).

(Turning to the audience)  Well, what did you think of Uncle Phil?  Wasn’t he a cool dude or what?  I am hoping he and I will be meeting for the first time at a blogging business school that I want to attend this coming May.  It’s SOBCon08 - if you’re a blogger, check it out, you might want to attend too. 

In the meantime, I want to thank everyone for their thunderous response to my first video post last week.  It generated an avalanche of comments (over 40!) which tells me that’s what you want to see here at Adversity University.  As a result, I plan to have at least one video post a week, going forward.  In fact, I already have another one in the works for Thursday.  It’s a short-two minute video in connection with a video contest that I decided to participate in.  And yes, it will be subtitled, just like the first one.

Until then, enjoy the rest of the week! 

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