Using your personal brand as a filter is a great way to simplify your life. How may times have you been faced with a touch decision or wasted too much time on what should have been a simple choice? On this episode we unlock the power of one question: “Is this consistent with my brand?”.

Some argue that jazz is one of the most intellectually challenging genres of music. The need for technical skills, rapid response to change and ability to improvise are similar to traits of great leaders.

Tune in for a "slightly" biased take on jazz and leadership.

Note: While classical musicians exhibit some of these traits as well, they are the very heart of jazz genre and crucial to executing good improvisation.    

Pay close attention next time you hear someone, or yourself, discussing goals and plans. We get excited about what we want to do, and where we want to go, but seldom talk about what we have to leave behind.

Full shownotes: www.focusthefire.com/052-timetoleave

Many times we focus on the things we don't have and use them as an excuse for being less than awesome. Let's break that cycle and push ourselves to produce prolific work using everything available right now.

Show notes and other resources available at www.focusthefire.com

Connect with host on twitter @dalanv www.twitter.com/dalanv

Have you had the frustrating experience where people like your work, but not enough to pay for it?  If you’re ready to push past average and position yourself as a professional worth real money, this show is for you.

On this episode we consider approaching your career like a country.  How is your balance of trade? 

Are the ideas, energy and products you have available worth the rewards you're after?

1. Skills to master
2. Skills to be proficient
3. Skills to understand
4. Skills to appreciate and delegate

Twitter: @dalanv | @focusthefire

1. What are the abilities you want to showcase in this narrative? “Tell us about a time when you had to…” 
2. Besides you, who are the other main characters needed to make this a great story?
3. What is the major problem or conflict that you will solve?
4. Can you describe it vividly in numbers, costs, or how long (time) the problem has been around?
5. Why do you feel a strong desire to address this issue?
6. Are there particular skills you have now or will develop to handle this issue like a boss?
7. In 2-3 brief sentences, what is your plan of action? How will you save the day (or hour)?
8. What challenges do you expect along the path to success?
9. What is the outcome or resolution you would like to produce?
10. How will this impact people directly involved or your community?   

• Systems over transactions
• Get what's inside your head on paper. 
• Document the process, especially for things you seem to do intuitively. 
• Experiment with delegating certain tasks, or just ask someone to follow your instructions. 
• • Where to they ask questions? 
  • What went well or wrong?
  • How can it be more clear?
  • Can it be more efficient? 
• There's only 1 you, but millions of dollars to make. 
• Put your time toward its highest use. 
• • Is this task part of my core skills?
  • Is there someone else who can do this better or faster, while I do something more profitable? 
• Review the process for improvements and adjust quickly
• Shorten the feedback loop
• • Create, test, review, adjust. Repeat. 
  • Don't let fear lure you into procrastination
• Tools to assist
• • Microsoft word / Apple Pages
  • Evernote
  • Trello