Mark Gilroy

Bringing Books to Life!

10 Warnings On Personal Branding

warnings on personal branding

Warnings on personal branding? I’m not sure what personal branding is—and definitely didn’t know it was dangerous.

Personal branding, defining and refining the you who you want the world to see, makes a lot of sense even if you don’t perceive yourself to be selling yourself or anything else.

Why? Even if you don’t perceive yourself to be selling yourself … you are. Unless, of course, you are a sociopath or a recluse. Selling yourself is really not a bad thing. Most of us would prefer to be liked rather than not liked; respected rather than disrespected; trusted rather than mistrusted; understood rather than misunderstood; heard rather than ignored.

Those are qualities and dynamics we like to sell. And they don’t sound very dangerous.

Personal branding sounds a lot less conniving when we use old adages to describe it, like put your best foot forward or you only have one chance to make a good first impression or dress for the part. [Read more…]

Don’t Eat That Frog First

Eat that frog?

Eat that frog?

In his bestselling book, Eat That Frog, Brian Tracy tackles the issue of personal productivity with 21 ways to conquer procrastination, beginning with his classic breakfast recipe :

If the first thing you do when you wake up each morning is eat a live frog, nothing worse can happen the rest of the day!

If you’ve ever met Brian, read one of his books or heard him speak, you know what a disciplined, talented, savvy communicator – and person – he is. I have a lot of admiration for him. Better to listen to him than me! I’ve been known to procrastinate at times.

But I would humbly suggest that there are some days you will get more done by foregoing the frog for breakfast – it tastes nothing like chicken – and enjoying your Cheerios, oatmeal or bacon and eggs. [Read more…]

The Grape Detox Diet

Larry Stone was owner and publisher of Rutledge Hill Press - where he introduced Life's Little Instruction Book to the world.

Larry Stone was owner and publisher of Rutledge Hill Press – where he introduced Life’s Little Instruction Book to the world.

Larry Stone is a publishing legend, someone I admire and, I’m proud to say, a good friend. We had breakfast last week and he told me about an annual detox diet he and his wife Lois do together each year. Having lost 50 pounds this past year, my ears perked up. I am interested in anything that will help me keep weight off – and be healthier. I think you’ll enjoy this guest post – and you just might  find a new health commitment to begin each year!

I have told many friends about the detox diet my wife and I have followed in January for the last 30 years. It may sound nutty, but it does make us feel better, more alive, and more energetic and keeps us at our target weight. My wife looks fabulous, and at 69, we both still water ski and climb mountains.

What makes this grape detox diet so interesting is its history. In 1927 Johanna Brandt left South Africa for the United States to tell her story of having been cured of cancer by “The Grape Cure.” Although she discovered this diet, she claims it had been known for centuries. I’m not claiming it cures anything. But I do know all of us tend to put poisons in our body, and this diet will eliminate them. [Read more…]