Book Tour Kick-off: 8 Days + 25 Moments

Blog disclaimer for the near future: With so much happening right now due to the book launch in ONE WEEK (!!!), I am likely to increase my posting schedule a bit and talk more about the book than I normally would. I'm juggling the desire to share everything that's going on while being mindful not to overwhelm or bombard. If the increased posting schedule bothers you, feel free to "mark as read" or (gasp!) unsubscribe for the next few weeks -- but I'm hoping you'll stick around, of course :) 8 Days + 30 Moments

I just returned from an amazing week in Austin, Texas for the SXSW Conference, which was also the first official stop on the Life After College Book Tour (followed by a last minute detour to Las Vegas).

Even if you didn't attend the conference, there are some awesome people on this list that I look forward to introducing you to! And now, a recap of my 25 most memorable moments:

SXSWi - South by Southwest Interactive (aka Geek Spring Break):

1. Getting picked up at the airport by Kristi Richey, one of my earliest blog readers (seriously - second only to my parents) in her red pick-up truck. Catching-up and gushing over the box of books that had arrived at the hotel.
2. Dancing and hanging out with my boys J-Money and Nate, the founders of Love Drop -- a company they started after I introduced them to each other a year ago. AMAZING guys. Meeting their fabulous friends, Danielle Smith and Alli Worthington.
3. Selling book number one at Chris Guillebeau's Best Party in Austin event. Signed, stamped, sealed and delivered…I really felt like an author! Taking a picture with my "mantourage" which included Scott Hale, Andrew Osborn, Andy Drish, Ryan Stephens, Norcross and @Kenny. Seeing the bright smiling faces of Monique Johnson and Stacyann Forrester.
4. Ryan scheming to make sure he was the very first Amazon review for my book. Success! I'm blown away by the reviews that are already up. Ryan -- thank you for kicking things off :)
5. Buffet brunch with Sydney Owen at Moonshine talking about her newfound love and big leap into professional freedom. (Hi Sydney!)
6. Attending exactly ONE panel the entire week: Tony Schwartz on managing your energy. I call it the $500 panel since that was the cost of the conference pass. Hey - at least it was good!
7. Actually having a CUPCAKE SPONSOR for my book signing event at Icenhauer's in Austin -- I need a NEW WORD for thank you to express my gratitude to the incredible Betty Jean Bell who put on the entire event; complete with bottomless mimosas and tacos! Event photos by my good friend Benjy Feen (who also has a dating advice piece featured in my book).
8. Sitting at a table signing books…absolutely surreal. Chatting with new friends; honored and humbled by all the of the support as each new person walked through the door. Thrilled to share the spotlight with Josh Kaufman (Personal MBA).

9. Chatting with Tony Hsieh (Zappos founder) on the Delivering Happiness bus with Andy Drish and Amber Rae, followed by cupcakes at Delish.
10. Sipping wine at Halycon Cafe in Austin with Andy, Amber, Nick Reese (Becoming Bold), and Sean Ogle (Location 180); talking about life, business, dreams and big plans. Brainstorming a joint book launch/Revolution.is party in NYC with Amber on the back of a napkin.
11. Catching up with Pam Slim (Escape from Cubicle Nation) and others over dinner at 10 Oak. Awed by the energy of getting a group of 25+ incredible people together at the same table, thanks to The One and Only Nick Reese.
12. Missing Willie Jackson tremendously and talking with others about whether we were introduced BW (Before Willie) or AW (After Willie).
13. An epic 2-hour long slumber party call with my BFF Elisa (Ophelias Webb) during which she calmed me down from a complete book tour overwhelm meltdown. Decided that canceling all end-of-week meetings and going to Las Vegas would be a great decision, despite the rapidly multiplying to-do list waiting for me back home.
14. Getting a tour of Adam Baker's Man vs. Debt RV during his Adaptu breakfast meet-up (more free tacos!)
15. Hanging out with an amazing crew of people at Nick and Markus Urban's (Living on Impulse) rented loft in Austin. Meeting awesome bloggers like Cody McKibben (Thrilling Heroics), Karol Gajda (Ridiculously Extraordinary), Jenny Leonard (Where is Jenny), Tyler Tervooren (Advanced Riskology), Benny Lewis (Fluent in 3 Months) and Adam from the UK (Magical Penny). Catching up over drinks with Michelle Ward (When I Grow Up Coach).
16. Attending Kevin Smokler's always-unforgettable 9th annual Kookies with Kevin dinner with literary industry professionals and other creatives on the last night for the second year in a row. Having an amazing conversation with Keith Arsenault, who happens to be a sales rep for Perseus (the parent company of my publisher, Running Press).

VEGAS...ROAD TRIP!

17. Canceling my flight home from Austin in lieu of a 20-hour road-trip detour through Las Vegas with Jenna "Badass Animal" Forstrom, Ryan "Impossibly Good Looking Man Candy" Martin and The One and Only Sean Ogle.
18. Doing my best to be the "stay-awake-company-keeper" for each of the drivers (I had an allergic reaction the night before and felt like a stampede of bulls were running across my stomach for 24+ hours).
19. Cracking up with Ryan at 3 a.m. as we updated Sean's Facebook status while he was sleeping -- to the effect of, "SO excited to dance with leprechauns down Las Vegas Boulevard!" We tried to announce that he was "OMG OMG so excited to see Celine Dion!!! <3!" a few hours later, but were thwarted due to lack of service through the Arizona mountains.
20. Teaching everyone in the car how to play highs and lows (each person says a high, low, and something they learned for the day or week) - and sharing our best SXSW moments.
21. Dancing, talking and sipping on drinks under the moonlight at Tao Beach.
22. Laying out at the pool in my underwear because I didn't bring a swimsuit to SXSW. Hoping no one noticed, but not really caring if they did.
23. The four of us huddling up to stay warm while watching the Bellagio fountain show (to Elton John music) in a total Ocean's 11 moment.
24. Late-night meals (in bed) with Jenna. Pizza and spaghetti - the best leftovers to come home to after a long night of dancing!
25. Smiling on the plane ride home (eyes drooping, voice gone) at how great it felt to be spontaneous, live in the moment and hang out with incredible people for eight straight days.

Stay tuned for a soon-to-follow post chock-full of book updates, early reviews, and upcoming events. The final countdown is on! 1 week, 1 day and 7 hours. Many of the pre-orders have already shipped...INSANE! And so exciting :)

SXSW, Stolen Goods & Signs from the Universe

Forgive me for the somewhat random post today -- I'm in the process of wraping-up my last week at Google before sabbatical (I am taking 3-months of unpaid leave to go on my self-funded/self-planned book tour -- dates here). My last day is Thursday, then I hop on a plane to Austin first thing Friday morning to head to SXSW and kick off the book tour! I can't even believe I'm saying that out loud. It's right around the corner, people. The official book-release countdown is -- drumroll please -- 3 weeks, 1 day, and 8 hours (at the time of this writing); pre-order price still hovering at a bargain cost of $9.10 -- less than 3 Sprinkles cupcakes!

SXSW Shenanigans (and yes, cupcakes are involved)

I will have to sing SXSW's praises in another post -- but suffice it to say that this is my favorite week of the entire year. I describe it to my non-Internet-geek friends as "my Oscars" -- the event that culminates and celebrates so many amazing relationships and projects created throughout the year.

For any of you who are attending, let's meet-up! I am co-hosting two events -- I would love to see you there, and please feel free to invite your friends :)

• Saturday night (7-10pm) -- Book signing at the "Best Party in Austin" with Chris Guillebeau
• Sunday afternoon (1-3pm) -- Book signing and short talk at Books, Brunch and Beer with Josh Kaufman (organized by the FABULOUS and incredible Betty Jean Bell)
• Other events -- I'll be trying to keep my schedule current on Plancast; or shoot me an email (jenny [at] lifeaftercollege [dot] org) and let me know where you'll be!

My Mass Gadget Exodus

This has been an interesting month. In the span of eight days, I left my cell phone at LAX and had my car broken into. On the former, I got it back eventually -- and quite enjoyed being "un-leashed." On the latter: I returned to my car after a quick dinner at Chipotle last Thursday to find my laptop, FlipCam, iPod and Moleskine stolen (okay so a Moleskine notebook isn't a gadget but I cherish it every bit as much).

My irreplaceable Italian leather bag with half my digital life was ripped out of my back seat through a broken window. As far as crimes go, things could be SO MUCH worse, but I can't describe the terror I felt when I looked over my shoulder to pull out of the parking spot and noticed shattered glass and a hole punched through my back window. Thank goodness there wasn't someone waiting for me in the back seat!!

The other creepy part is that I have fully tinted windows and a car alarm -- so they must have been watching me tuck my bag behind the passenger seat...which I almost never do. But alas...all it takes is one stupid choice...in an ill-fated parking spot on an otherwise normal evening to lose some prized (albeit material) possessions.

I've backed-up my data recently, but not recently enough not to be upset. And yes, most of my data is in the cloud. But not all of it. And semantics are not really the point here (but so many people asked those questions it felt prudent to share). The point is this: as my friend Tara pointed out, my gadgets have literally been trying to escape me! Which is all the more interesting in light of the human magic post where I declared my need to slow-down and unplug from everything...immediately.

The universe answers in mysterious ways sometimes. Are you listening to the signs around you? If not, consider this a friendly reminder urge to tune in. Otherwise the signs get louder and louder in order to get your attention...and that's not necessarily a good thing.

Wrestling with a big decision? New template at your service!

Except for the most spontaneous and risk-taking among us, big life decisions are not usually made lightly. Our brain starts playing ping-pong with the choice, and before we know it the decision is weighing us down in the absence of any real forward motion. For our biggest choices, simple cost/benefit lists don't quite do the trick (though if you are looking for a way to amp up your pro/con lists, check out Paul Williams' great post on Decision-Making Tools).

One of the exercises that I frequently suggest to coaching clients (and that never fails me personally) is a decision-making matrix that helps distinguish between internal concerns (gremlins, doubts) versus external concerns (process-related, "how" questions, next steps).

Enter the 8-Step Decision-Making Template!

This template will help you unpack all the various thoughts, feelings and concerns swirling around your big decision. By writing them down (and separating self-doubt from concrete questions) you empower yourself to be much more creative about how you move forward. Sometimes moving forward just means doing more research to help you feel comfortable making your decision.

And of course, sometimes big decisions just take time. The template will only take you so far -- at some point you just have to trust your gut -- you'll know when the time (or choice) is right for you to move forward.

How to Use the 8-Step Decision-Making Template:

1. State the problem or decision you are facing.
2. Re-state the decision as a question (this will open your brain up to a more creative thinking state).
3. Over the course of the next week (or more), document your questions/concerns around the decision. They may not come all at once. List one concern per line, and distinguish between internal and external concerns. Oftentimes people get bogged down in the "tyranny of the hows" - they feel paralyzed on a big decision because they don't know how to get there yet. This process will help you outline all the various aspects of the decision.
4. Rate the intensity of that question, concern or inner critic on a scale of 1-5. How strongly do you feel about the concern? How much will it affect your decision? (Handy template feature: cells change color based on the number you enter!)
5. State the underlying values or priorities for each concern. What is the essence of your concern? What does it reveal about what is important to you?
6. Brainstorm solutions or replies. For each concern, brainstorm at least three potential solutions or counter-arguments.
7. Gut reaction. Based on everything you've listed, how would your gut answer the question you posed in Step 2?
8. Next steps. If you are clear on your answer to Step #7, what are the immediate next steps to take? Brainstorm a list of 5. If you are not clear on your answer, what other inputs or information will help you make your decision? Brainstorm a list of 10.
9. Bonus: The second tab will help you inventory all of the advice you receive from other people (friends, family, blogs, books, etc.), determine whether or not you agree, and decide whether there are any related next steps to take.

You might also be interested in these related posts: How do you make decisions? (the comments are incredibly helpful!) and the related template: 10 questions to help you stop thinking and start DOING.

For more great templates on career planning, job interviewing, simple budgeting, and even break-ups, check-out my Template Gallery or grab your copy of Life After College -- which has many more exercises to help you think through every area of your life.

Good luck with your big decision/s!

Joseph Campbell on The Hero's Journey

Thank you for all of your kind comments, thoughts and outreach on Saturday's Human Magic post. Feeling much better already! That post helped me articulate a much-needed reminder that with big GIANT goals come big giant roller-coasters of emotion -- dips and triumphs, highs and lows. So it feels like perfect timing to introduce you to one of my favorite pieces of writing about living life to the fullest. I humbly turn the floor over to writer and philosopher Joseph Campbell (bold emphasis below is mine); I find this essay incredibly moving and inspirational, and I know you will too.

The Hero’s Journey (On Living in the World) by Joseph Campbell

The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are. What you have to do, you do with play. Life is without meaning. You bring the meaning to it. The meaning of life is whatever you ascribe it to be.

Being alive is the meaning.

The warrior’s approach is to say “yes” to life: “Yea” to it all.

Participate joyfully in the sorrows of the world. We cannot cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live in joy. When we talk about settling the world’s problems, We’re barking up the wrong tree. The world is perfect. It’s a mess. It has always been a mess.

We are not going to change it. Our job is to straighten out our own lives. We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.

The old skin has to be shed before the new one can come.

If we fix on the old, we get stuck. when we hang onto any form, we are in danger of putrefaction. Hell is life drying up. The Hoarder, the one in us that wants to keep, to hold on, must be killed. If we are hanging onto the form now, we’re not going to have the form next. You can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs.

Destruction before creation.

Out of perfection nothing can be made. Every process involves breaking something up. The earth must be broken to bring forth new life. If the seed does not die, there is no plant. Bread results from the death of wheat. Life lives on lives. Our own life lives on the acts of other people. If you are lifeworthy, you can take it. What we are really living for is the experience of life, both the pain and the pleasure. The world is a match for us. We are a match for the world. Opportunities to find deeper powers within ourselves come when life seems most challenging. Negativism to the pain and ferocity of life is negativism to life.

We are not there until we can say “Yea” to it all.

To take a righteous attitude toward anything is to denigrate it. Awe is what moves us forward. As you proceed through life, following your own path, birds will shit on you. don’t bother to brush it off. Getting a comedic view of your situation gives you spiritual distance. Having a sense of humor saves you. Eternity is a dimension of here and now.

The divine lives within you. Live from your own center.

Your real duty is to go away from the community to find your bliss. The society is the enemy when it imposes its structures on the individual. On the dragon there are many scales. Every one of them says “Thou Shalt.” Kill the dragon “Thou Shalt.” When one has killed that dragon, one has become The Child. Breaking out is following your bliss pattern, quitting the old place, starting your hero journey, following your bliss. You throw off yesterday as the snake sheds its skin.

Follow your bliss.

Table for Two: Human Magic and a Hot Mess

Serenity, grace and ease. That's one of my mantras for how I want to be in my life.

I am ashamed to admit that I haven't exhibited much of the three these past few weeks.

Try lethargic, sad and stressed. Burned-out, zombie-like, and exhausted. Impatient, dull and over-committed.

Symptom: Blogger's Block. Cause: Witholding Information.

I've written three blog posts that I didn't have the guts to hit publish on these last few weeks. Partly because I knew that this is the post that really needed to be written. This is the truth, and that is what I make a continued commitment to deliver to you.

I am terrified to admit all of this…so publicly. I am terrified because the last thing I want to do is seem ungrateful for all of the gifts of my life. These professional diamonds I carry of having a great job at Google and a book due out in one rapidly-approaching month (now selling for a mere $9.10!).

I read somewhere that authors should never complain about anything related to their book...because most people would kill to be in their shoes...complaining about those very things.

So I can't help but feel confused and disappointed in myself that I am not singing in the shower and leaping out of bed with unadulterated joy every morning. What is wrong with me?

Aha Moments

Yesterday, in a coaching session during which I ran through half a box of Kleenex, I understood why. It might be blindingly obvious to all of you, but forgive me -- I can be a little slow in the compassion-for-self department.

The tectonic plates of my life are shifting and I am feeling the aftershocks…without wanting to admit it.

I want to be GREAT for you. For me. For my family. For my friends and coworkers. I want to be cheerful, gracious, grateful, and over-the-moon excited. That's what I see in people's eyes when I tell them what I am up to.

But what about me?

Me and My Crazy Gremlins

In another moment of clarity I realized that for three years now I have felt like Atlas carrying two globes -- one for Google and one for the blog/book (aka Jenny Blake Enterprises -- JBE).

I have two weeks left at Google before I take leave (after five intense, awesome years), and four weeks until the book comes out. I can see a finish line ahead and yet it feels like I've slammed into a wall. I've been putting tremendous pressure on myself to tie everything up in a beautiful bow; a pressure-cooker of chaos from juggling these two large responsibilities and my sanity.

I also realized that for the first time in three years I can put the globes down for a minute and give myself a rest and some credit. And in that realization, it has come to my attention that I might need to put the globes down right now. Because I have not been myself these last few weeks (if not more) and that is no way to kick off a time-of-my-life book tour.

My gremlins (the personal development police) tell me that there are starving children in Africa and that I am not curing cancer. That I have no right to feel tired or stressed. That I should just relax and be present. And yet, it's funny how massively unproductive those sentiments are. They do not change how I actually feel.

Breaking News: I am human! (I had almost forgotten)

I was supposed to have a book marketing brainstorm call with my genius friend (and virtual work-husband) Willie Jackson last week. We've never met in person, but by the tone of my voice within five minutes of our opening chit-chat he asked, "Do we need to talk about Jenny Blake the author, or Jenny Blake the human being?" Cue waterworks.

Not even an hour later my book-trailer-producing friend asked how I was *really* doing over a Chipotle dinner. Once AGAIN, I broke down into hysterical sobs. Mid-restaurant. Hot mess for one?

I hated that my breakdown was so blindingly obvious to everyone around me. There was no hiding from it anymore. Book-trailer-friend looked me square in the eyes and said, "You're fucking magic, JB. But you're human magic. Give yourself a break."

These men -- brilliant angels, if you ask me -- had a point.

Growing pains...a sign of great things to come

I know without a doubt that I am just experiencing growing pains (a sure sign that greatness lurks), and that I am not going to give up at the eleventh hour.

But I also want you to know that I am human, and you are human, and none of us are immune from pesky things like FEELINGS or BIG CHANGES.

I'm serving myself up a side of compassion this weekend, and I'll be sending the same to any of you in need. If I'm slow to call back, respond to email, or post something new, you'll know it's because I'm practicing the fine art of giving myself a break.

To human magic, and with endless gratitude for your presence, Jenny

February Fun: Publishing Resources, Questions & Updates... (oh my)!

Can you believe we are halfway through February already? Official book countdown: one month, one week, six days. Eee! Today I bring you a sampler platter of all things publishing: advice-seeking for my Amazon page, short videos in which I share my favorite tips from each chapter of the book, Inbox Freedom recordings, an awesome e-magazine (that I happen to be featured in), and a whole buffet of writing-related resources. Can you tell I'm writing this while hungry? My food metaphors are out of control today!

Book Trailer Update & Conundrum - Need your advice

Thank you all so much for your votes last week! Video #2 (the short cut) was the runaway winner, though the longer 3-minute trailer definitely got a few heartfelt (and might I add incredibly convincing!) votes too.

Now get this -- in order to post the video to the Amazon sales page for the book (as Resonate does, for example), I would have to pay $1,000!!! Would you do it?

It seems a shame not to...but I've already asked the publisher if they will split the cost with me and they said no. I feel very torn...it's such a rip off! Especially considering how much Amazon hacks the book price down...authors barely make any money off Amazon sales as is, now they charge $1,000 to help sell the book in the first place?!

So let me know what you think in the comments -- is a book trailer a compelling feature for you when browsing books on Amazon? Compelling enough to spend $1,000 to post?

Book Chapter Videos

In addition to creating a Blogger Kit, updating my Book Tour Schedule (and generally just pimping out LACBook.com), one of my projects last weekend was post-processing and uploading short 1-2 minute videos for each chapter of the book (all by myself...FTW!). In each video I share my favorite tips, quotes or exercises to help you optimize each area of your life. Check-out the YouTube playlist here.

In honor of Valentine's Day (which I basically ignored) - here's the video from the Dating & Relationships Chapter:

Inbox Freedom - Free four-part webinar series

As I mentioned in a previous post, I'm hosting a four-part Inbox Freedom webinar series with my friend Pierre to give people practical tools and strategies for taming the email beast. The sessions have gotten great feedback so far!

Brett says:

"I loved last week's course. I've already put into practice the techniques you and Pierre shared, and I'm cruising right along with other projects without treating my inbox like an infant I have to check on every 2 minutes. My productivity has already increased, and I know the next 3 weeks will only boost it more."

Listen to the recordings and sign-up below:

• Session One: Awareness - Part 1 (~14 minutes, led by me) and Part 2 (~12 minutes, led by Pierre)
• Session Two: Vision/Goals - Part 1 (me) / Part 2 (Pierre)
• Session Three: This Thursday at 8:30 a.m. PST -- click here to join!

In Treehouses Magazine Feature

I am honored to be featured in the February edition of the GORGEOUS In Treehouses magazine, produced by Thom Chambers, with some of my absolute favorite people (Colin Wright, Amber Rae, and Chris Guillebeau to name a few). About the mag: "In 2011, In Treehouses is publishing ten free e-magazines. Each issue will feature brilliant contributors focusing on a topic that will help you reach your 1,000 True Fans."

This issue is called "We're All Publishers Now" and features an awesome mix of authors, innovators, companies and entrepreneurs who are all doing work related to the publishing industry. My story is on page 45 -- check it out!

Writing and Publishing Related Resources

I normally share the extensive list of writing-related links and resources I find with my Inside Scoop readers, but given that our topic today is publishing I thought you might like them too!

To check-out specific books, videos and blog posts I've mentioned, visit the Writer's Corner page on my book website, and/or subscribe to the monthly Inside Scoop Newsletter where I give a behind-the-scenes look at the publishing process.

I've tagged many more articles and resources in Delicious: Writing | Book Promotion | Book Publishing | Literary Agents | Self-Publishing and more...

Announcing the launch of EBookling

While we're on the subject of publishing, I wanted to call your attention to an awesome new ebook platform launching from my friend Colin Wright. In his words:

Ebookling Enables Indie Authorpreneurs

The premise of Ebookling is to turn authors in Authorpreneurs: creatives who own their work and have control over their financial destiny.

Ebookling’s place in this is to provide a platform for these authors, giving them the resources they need to take their products to the next level, the connections they need to fill any gaps in their process (designers, translators, editors, producers, etc) and a centralized store where they can sell their work to a large and varied audience.

We also want to get the reader involved, allowing them to become curators of their own stores and be paid to support their favorite authors. To this end, when you sign up for an account with Ebookling, you automatically become an affiliate. If you click a button to share a product listed on our store with the world, your affiliate code will be attached, and any sales that come as a result will net you 25% of the total cost.

That's all for now, folks -- have a fantastic week! :D

"Failed" Online Date Leads to Friendship...and a Book Trailer

I used to always scoff at people who said I should try online dating because "[They had] met so many friends that way." How does that work, exactly? How does one delicately let the other down, then blaze the buddy trail instead? Or if neither is interested, is there really enough juice to form a friendship?

It begs the eternal hotly-debated question: can guys and girls really just be friends? (For what it's worth, I vote YES.) It's a mature move for two people who don't mix romantically to decide that friendship would be a worthy consolation prize.

In December, with OKCupid's help, I orchestrated a 4 dates in 4 days "Date-a-palooza" experiment (brilliant term coined by Elisa). Part "bite the bullet and get out there" and part "research for my next book", one of the four outings was a second date with a guy named Jack.*

*Names have been changed to protect the awesome.

I wasn't myself. We could both tell it wasn't a fit. While dropping me off at the end of our date, Jack had the cajones to say, "I'm going to call this one at friends" and left it up to me to make the next move.

One thing led to another and now my Online Date Turned Kick-Ass Friend, who just so HAPPENS to be a multiple Emmy award winning film producer (I saw those golden statues of glory with my own two eyes), graciously volunteered to film and edit my book trailer. Gratis. (Save for regular Chipotle dinners. I offered yoga, coaching or a motivational speech in return, but he hasn't taken me up on any of the above…YET). Now THAT is what I call serendipity served with a giant heap of generosity.

I learned two important lessons from Date-a-Palooza: my third time attempting online dating was not the charm (romantically). It is simply not for me. At least not now, and especially not with all of this book excitement building and my attention focused obsessively on my baby.

BUT.

Second: when we let our egos go (as Jack did when he parlayed our failed date into a friendship), wonderful new relationships form. We get to know each other without the strain of trying to impress, woo or audition. We get to just be ourselves.

P.S. Look mom, I made a friend :)

Book Trailer Videos - I Need Your Help Deciding!

There are two cuts of the book trailer below -- the first is 2:50, and the second is 2:00. For those of you with five minutes to spare, will you watch them both and vote in the comments on which one I should put on the Amazon page for the book?

The first has more narrative from me and more answers from college grads. Both were filmed in SF in front of the Bay Bridge and at Stanford University. The lovely Melissa Foster Cook was on Flipcam for the outtake at the end. Hope you like 'em!

Life After College Book Trailer - Video 1: Long Cut (~3 minutes):

Life After College Book Trailer - Video 2: Shorter cut (2 minutes)

Learn more about the book on the Book Website or at Amazon. Want the nitty gritty behind-the-scenes details? Sign-up for my monthly(ish) Inside Scoop mailing list. For the book tour: if you want to join and/or request a stop, please fill out this form. I look forward to meeting many of you on the road! :)

***

P.S. The first recording of the "Inbox Freedom" webinar series is now up! Listen to Part 1 (~14 minutes) and Part 2 (~12 minutes), and be sure to sign-up for Session 2 next Thursday at 8:30am PST.

You're Invited: Free 4-Part "Inbox Freedom" Webinar Series

Hi all - just a quick post today to extend an invite to a free four-part "Inbox Freedom" webinar series that I'm co-leading with my friend Pierre Khawand of People On the Go. Each of the 30-minute installments will be part instruction, part workshop to help you get a better handle on your inbox. The series starts tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. PST -- join us if you can! Overwhelmed by email? For many of us, what we're doing isn't working when it comes to managing our inboxes. We know there is a better way, but we haven't found it yet. Pierre and I are here to help, as we also learn and practice right alongside you. I will bring the coaching/big picture perspective, and Pierre will help you focus on process with practical systems and tools. We will share tips and exercises that raise awareness (what types of emails cause the most stress/annoyance?), set vision (what is your ideal state of inbox management?), and brainstorm solutions (to help you start walking the talk).

Here's a brief description from the sign-up page:

This four-week webinar series is designed to help you re-assess your behaviors and attitudes toward your e-mail inbox. Through a series of tips, demonstrations, and interactive exercises, we will teach you new practices to transform the way you look at email and manage e-mail. Your inbox activities will go from ad-hoc, inefficient, and anxiety-producing to structured, effective and anxiety-free. Instead of letting your inbox rule your mood and even your life, become the master of your own email domain through this four-part series.

Pre and post surveys: Those who participate in the pre- and post-surveys and attend all 4 webinars will get a free copy of the eBook “The New New Inbox--How Email and Social Media Changed Our Lives--The Complete Survey Report” ($19.95 value).

Hope to see you there!

**UPDATE: Listen to the recordings and sign-up below:

• Session One: Awareness - Part 1 (~14 minutes, led by me) and Part 2 (~12 minutes, led by Pierre)
• Session Two: Vision/Goals - Part 1 (me) / Part 2 (Pierre)
• Session Three: Action/Next Steps - Part 1 (me) / Part 2 (Pierre)
• Session Four: Putting it all Together - Part 1 (me) / Part 2 (Pierre & Jared)

***

P.S. Keep an eye out for my next post...book trailer videos will be ready any day now - can't wait to show you!

8 Ways to Practice and Improve Your Public Speaking Skills

If you read my post Live for the Dip last year, you know that I felt like I BOMBED my first official bookstore event (even though my friends would tell you otherwise). I'm proud to say that I've since emerged from conscious incompetence, feeling much more able to deliver a speech or workshop with the right mix of structure, clarity, humor and inspiration. Most recently, I delivered a 40-minute webinar that outlines how we can shift the paradigm of Career Development (click here to watch The Ladder is Out -- How to Manage Your Career in the Age of the App).

It went off without a hitch, but what you may not know is that as I was being introduced I put myself on mute, clenched my fists (to give my adrenaline something to do), and started taking deep yoga breaths (called ujjayi breathing) to calm my slight nerves at seeing the attendee list hover around 85 people.

When my good friend Doniree recently asked for my advice on how to feel more comfortable at the front of a room, I realized that I had a few great methods to share with all of you from delivering training for over five years at Google.

8 Ways to Practice and Improve Your Public Speaking Skills

Doniree asks:

I've been told by my yoga instructor that I sound nervous/short of breath when I teach. I'm not nervous, but I am short of breath and I realized that I could breathe better when I talk in public in general. Do you have any public speaking training or tips you can offer to someone who needs to learn to breathe and talk at the same time?

Below are 8 strategies that have helped me hone my public speaking skills. Many of these may apply to you for business situations in general, not just public speaking (or in Doni's case, teaching yoga).

1. Download a free recording app on your phone. Practice saying something at your normal pace, then practice slower, then EVEN slower. Playback so you can hear for yourself what the three sound like, and even ask a friend which is most clear.
2. Take three ujayii breaths before starting. For non-yogis: this means taking a slow, steady, even inhale through the nose (fully engaging your lower belly, ribs, and chest/throat), then exhaling slowly and evenly through the nose. During both the inhale and the exhale, practice making the sound of the ocean in your throat (More on how to do this here). These breaths are always incredibly calming for me and help clear any nervousness in my system.
3. Make it a challenge for yourself to bring more awareness to your speech in every day interactions. Sometimes even when I'm talking with friends I will practice not saying "um" and other speech quirks that come across as unprofessional. Even though these are low-stakes situations, it helps me change my default speech to something that works in any setting.
4. Give yourself a rating on scale of 1-5 after every class you teach (or training, or meeting you present at). How'd you do? This will bring awareness to the area/s you are hoping to improve and help you track progress over time.
5. Pretend you are speaking to a non-native English speaker or a five year old. Does your pacing change? Another trick I use: pretend you are on The Today show, or speaking for the president, or some other super important thing with high visibility. How would you talk? How do you want to sound or come across?
6. Channel/observe a speaker or teacher you really respect. What do they do well? Ask if you can observe them at future events/meetings (if they live locally) - or look for more examples and videos on YouTube or TED. Bookmark the speeches/speakers you most want to emulate.
7. Probably most important: ASK FOR FEEDBACK - often! Make sure you have people who are willing to be honest with you. Ask them one thing you did well, and one area you can improve (if you just say, "what's your feedback?" they'll be hesitant to share development areas). You might also have people track when you speed up (certain segments?) and when you slow down, so you get more granular data about where to focus.
8. Clench and release a muscle several times before going up to speak. Try making your fists into tight balls (or any other muscle -- ahem, buttcheeks work too), then release and repeat. This will give your adrenaline something to do, and often helps stop shaking (which makes you appear more nervous than you really are) by the time you start.
9. BONUS: Join Toastmasters. (Thanks Sachit for the reminder!) Toastmasters is a great way to get practice and feedback in a safe environment, and learn from watching others. Something that helps me more than anything is practicing the outline of what I want to say, and having a note-card with the high-level structure. The more I know my content, the less nervous I feel. Toastmasters is a excellent way to hone your presentation's content and structure.

Most of all, experiment AND smile! Try variations of all of the above. Remember that everyone watching wants you to do well. Have fun at whatever you are doing, roll with the punches, and laugh off any mistakes! Besides, those are what make you human and relatable. No speech or presentation will ever be perfect -- so just get out there and do the best that you can! For my FAVORITE book on the subject: check-out Confessions of a Public Speaker by Scott Berkun.

I would love to hear from you in the comments: What public speaking tips work best for you?

***

P.S. I have a guest vlog (short 2-minute video) up at Corn on the Job today. I talk about how to do a Gap Analysis for your own career development. Click here to watch! Big thanks to Rich for hosting me :)

Travel Hacking Cartel: Bliss Without Emptying Your Bank Account

Many of us are early in our careers -- budget conscious yet eager to explore. Curious about the world but worried that we don't have the money (or the time) to justify the luxury of extensive travel. It doesn't have to be that way.

I'm going to tell you about a new program in a minute, but first, a few notes on why I care so passionately about bringing cost-effective travel strategies to you.

Travel sets my soul ablaze.

The triumph of a well-packed suitcase.

Sitting next to someone on the plane who starts out a stranger and ends up a friend.

Suspended in time as you travel from one place to the next; neither here nor there. Enlightened by introspection and enlivened by possibility.

Watching the sun rise and set from the window seat, its gorgeous rays reflected on the pillows of clouds beneath you.

Inhaling as you take in the glorious air of a new city.

The pride of stretching far beyond your comfort zone, eyes wide open as you soak up a new environment. The joy of observing the pace and idiosyncrasies of the throngs of people around you.

Reflecting with nostalgia on your return flight; forever changed by the people you met, the sights you saw, and the person you became.

I feel more alive with each trip I take, even if it's just a long roadtrip in my car -- music blasting, thoughts marinating, ideas generating.

But how do we make the bliss of travel a regular part of our lives, even without winning the lottery?

Enter the Travel Hacking Cartel

Chris Guillebeau, of epic book tour fame (who also plans to visit every country in the world before he turns 35), is on a mission to "democratize free travel."

Yes, FREE travel.

Not "pay an arm and a leg and get worked by airlines" travel. FREE.

Chris will unlock the secret hatches of the airline industry (currently unbeknownst to many of us) so that you can fly around the world without emptying your bank account. In his words, "You’ll learn about glitch fares, Round-the-World tickets, padding out your mileage account, earning elite status, and much more."

This is particularly prescient for me as I prepare to launch my self-funded book tour -- currently 12 cities strong -- while on unpaid leave from Google. Every dollar counts. That's exactly why I'm thrilled to be a launch partner for the Travel Hacking Cartel -- so I can learn for myself AND share the love with you.

The Travel Hacking Cartel is a monthly forum that provides the following:

1. Regular “Deal Alerts” sent via email and SMS/text message 
(when a big opportunity comes up, you will be the 
first to know).
2. Tutorials and an extensive Knowledge Base to get you 
started (most people have no idea 
what to do with miles and points...Chris will show you).
3. Refer-a-Hacker Program that will pay you 500 Frequent 
Flyer Miles for each friend you refer.
4. The “World's Greatest Guarantee” – if you spend at least 30 minutes a month travel hacking with what you learn above, 
you will earn enough miles for at least 1 plane ticket every quarter (or 4 plane tickets a year).

Four plane tickets a year! Yes please.

Intrigued?

There are three levels of membership: Economy Class ($15/mo), Business Class ($25/mo), and First Class ($39/mo). You can test the waters with a 14-day trial for $1 and cancel (or downgrade) at any time if you decide it's not for you. If you're one of the first 1,000 to sign-up, you'll get access to a free webinar on "8 Ways to Travel for Free in 2011."

Interested?

Get your travel hack on! Join me and countless others as we learn how to travel the world for free -- for less than the cost of an airport latte.

*Legal Jargon: I am an affiliate for this program. But as always, I am highly selective and will only share things with you when I believe that you will get tremendous benefit.

Video: Life After College Book Debut!!

Book. Box. My doorstep. IT'S HERE!!! Join me as I meet my book face-to-face for the very first time in this 2-minute video! (Filmed by the lovely Melissa Foster Cook, who is in town from LA for a weekend of brainstorming and strategizing. It also happens to be our first IRL meeting...gotta love the Internet!)

Life After College Book Debut:

WUHOO!!!

Have a great weekend everyone :D

What I'm Afraid of...and What I Know

This post is a "rip the bandaid off" exposé on some recent vulnerabilities of mine. If I don't share them now, I might just sweep them under the rug, and then nobody learns. Normally this is the level of detail I only share with my Inside Scoop readers; but when I woke up this morning at 4 a.m. after a crazy dream and the urge to write, I knew they had to be shared.

I posted a link for people to sign-up for my book tour on Tuesday. Less than 20 people have filled it out.

Giant red alarm bells started going off in my brain. "YOU ARE A FRAUD! AN IMPOSTOR! YOU got a book deal?! YOU are trying to take a self-funded book tour?! No one even wants to see you!"

Obviously these are fears. You might have just missed the link. Or maybe you were saving it for later. A bunch of my friends had already filled out a different one...so there's that. And the last thing I want to do is guilt you into coming!

But it reminded me - that with RIDICULOUSLY GIANT dreams come ridiculously giant fears. A sampling:

• I'm afraid my excitement about the book will get annoying, tiresome, or boring for you.
• I'm afraid that my book is coming out so soon and I won't have executed even half of the ideas I want to.
• I'm afraid of saying "no" - to people, tasks and meetings - right now even though I HAVE TO to preserve my sanity while trying to juggle my book launch with my last six weeks at Google before sabbatical.
• I'm afraid I will go to a city or a bookstore for a stop on my book tour and no one will show up.
• I'm afraid I will run out of money during my 3.5 month unpaid leave, and that I will fail at my experiment of trying to generate my own paychecks.
• I'm afraid I will have endless good ideas, but that I won't find the time to pursue them.
• I'm afraid that if I do find ways to monetize my ideas, no one will buy them.
• I'm afraid of gaining weight because "I want to look good for my book tour." I'm afraid of trying so hard to look like my inner critic's idealized version of "perfect" that I don't embrace what I have.
• I'm afraid I'll work so hard - because I love what I'm doing - that I burn out. I'm afraid I won't enjoy the moment or appreciate my gifts or give thanks often enough.
• I am afraid someone I love will get hurt or something bad will happen and I will hate myself for worrying about all of the above.

I am afraid of a lot of things.

But here is what I know to be true:

• I KNOW that being on the field is all that matters. Playing the game is what counts. If you just sit in the stands, you automatically lose.
• I know that if I didn't lift another finger, this book would still have legs (powerful ones!) and find its way into the world.
• I know that I am THRILLED to travel and just BE in every city, even if no one shows up. I know that I have amazing bloggers, friends and readers across the country that WILL show up. Just being on the road is reward enough. Everything else is icing on the (cup)cake.
• I know that this is what I have been building and working toward for my ENTIRE LIFE. Of course I'm nervous - but it's all good. It's all information, and it's all helping me grow into the next wonderful version of myself.
• I know that I'm resourceful and creative and I WILL figure things out.
• I know that everything is going to be okay.
• I know that I have low moments just like the best of them, and that is what makes me human.
• I know that I get up and keep going anyway, and that is what makes me tenacious. That is success beyond success.
• I know that I am doing the very best I can, and I am proud of myself.

I also know that I will be getting the hard copy (final version) of my book any day now. I know that when I see it and hold it, all of the fears above will wash away.

It will all be worth it. It already is.

Book Update: New Virtual Home! And Book Tour Deets...

Short and sweet, today folks! I'm thrilled to share that I've just launched a website dedicated to my book (aka my baby): LACBook.com. Woo!

I dusted off my HTML/CSS/Photoshop skills on Saturday and got deep into the zone - it was a crazy/awesome feeling. I sat down at 7 a.m. to work on the site and by 6 p.m. the sun had risen and set behind me, and I hadn't moved all day -- even to eat! Around dinner time I finally decided FOOD would be a good idea, and let my new Internet home (summer share, anyone?) take a rest.

Head on over and let me know what you think! I'm still building out the "Goodies" section with things like a Book Club kit, reader testimonials and videos. Please let me know if you have any other creative suggestions or book extras that you would like to see!

Update: (Self-Funded) Book Tour - I want to hear from you!

I finally have some dates set for my self-funded book tour! Up until now it has felt like trying to prop up an entire house all in one go. Where do I go and when? What order? Do I try to book speaking gigs first, or set my dates and then reach out? The analysis paralysis could drive a person crazy!

My plan is to go to at least 10 cities, coordinated wherever possible with existing conferences and travel. It's on me to pay for and plan the book tour because the publisher doesn't think it is the best use of their time and money. I am actually totally okay with that - I would also rather they spend their marketing budget for the book on getting it on the front tables at Barnes & Noble and on reaching out to national media (Universe - put in a word with me for The Today Show, mmmmkay?!). I just can't imagine launching this book without connecting with readers and friends in real life. It's a must-do! More details to follow soon on a virtual blog tour, including how you can get involved if you're interested.

In other exciting news, Google has graciously granted me a three-month sabbatical. I asked for some time off so that I can properly promote the book and give it my full attention -- it is incredibly important to me to focus on the launch with 100% of my time and energy. I've been at Google for five years (last week was actually my five year anniversary!) and as much as I will miss my co-workers and the free food, I'm looking forward to taking some time off.

On that note, please fill out this form and let me know if you would be interested in hosting and/or attending a meet-up!

Here are the cities I'm tentatively scheduled to be in:

• Austin, Texas - SXSW Interactive - March 11-March 16
• San Francisco Bay Area - Local Events - March 17-April 18
• East Coast (NYC, Boston, Maine) - April 19 - May 17
• Las Vegas, NV - Bloggers in Sin City - Thursday, May 19 - Sunday, May 22
• Seattle, Washington - Late May - Thursday, June 2
• Portland, Oregon - World Domination Summit - Friday, June 3 - Tuesday, June 7
• Los Angeles - Wednesday, June 8 - June 20 (tentative)
• London, UK - early October

Let's hang out!

Fill out the form and I'll be sure to keep you in the loop if/when I get to your side of town :) If your city isn't on the list, please fill out the form anyway! I'm still cooking up ways to get more places...and it will be super helpful to know where you are!

***

P.S. Check out the "Countdown to Launch" widget in my sidebar - 2 months, 1 week baby!!

Kick-off to 2011: Mind-Maps, Passion and Pancakes

As we enter the second week of the new year, I bring you one of my favorite exercises from one of the most creative people I know – Paul Williams of Idea Sandbox. Paul's Pave Your Life Roadmap exercise (more below) is one that I frequently refer to coaching clients and often revisit myself. I blogged about this exercise in 2008, but wanted to remind you all in the spirit of personal exploration and intention-setting for the year ahead. As I mentioned last time, this is one of the most clear, simple (and fun!) approaches to life planning I’ve seen, and I find that no matter how many times I think “I’ve already done that” – I come up with something new.

Summary of steps from the Pave Your Life Roadmap exercise:

1. List Your Passions – Make a list of all the things you are passionate about.
2. Identify Values – Group your passions into themes.
3. Set the Situation – Determine what conditions should exist for you to feel you’re fulfilling your Values.
4. Reveal Action Steps – Identify what daily activities you should be doing to fulfill your Values.
5. Visual Report Card – Draw a graph to visualize and assess your current status. (Don’t worry, no drafting tools required).
6. Take Action / Follow Your Roadmap – Now that you have the keys, get behind the wheel and follow this plan to drive your life.

I've provided two examples as a kick-start for your own process below (check out Paul's website for a full set of his own examples). Even though I did these two years ago, it's surprising how many of my passions/interests remain the same. In fact, I take that as a great sign that the exercise helped me dig deep enough to get to the core of what really matters to me.

Step one: list your passions by making a no-holds-barred, whatever comes to you mind-map. Never done one? Here’s an example of mine from 2008:

You might also check out Wikipedia’s article on Mind Mapping.

Step two: identify values by summarizing key themes. For each value or theme, write “If I had a life filled with _______________, I would . . .” and brainstorm five answers for each.

Here’s my example based on the mind-map above:

A note on Mind Maps and New Years resolutions

Mind maps can be a great way to solve problems, study, set goals and identify priorities. Instead of setting traditional New Years resolutions (though I have nothing against them despite the giant backlash that occurs every year), I create an annual goals mind-map with my friend Liz.

This year marked our third annual mind-mapping/vision session. Each time we do this, we get together over lunch and a pile of colored markers, then outline goals for every area of our lives. We also review our mind-maps from the previous year to celebrate progress.

This year I taped mine to the back of my front door, where I'm creating a vision/idea-board of sorts out of the entire door. When I see things that represent big huge goals, I tape them up to the back of my door (like the coaster from the SoHo House in NYC). I also have a blank sheet of paper with the following open questions: "How can I innovate?", "What problems can I solve?" and "How can I bring my best self into the world?"

For those who are curious, my main goals for this year (different from the larger intentions) are:

• Figure out how to live on both coasts and/or move to NYC for a period of time
• Make a bestseller list!
• Be on The Today Show (or a major morning show)
• Exercise for at least ten minutes per day, 365 days in a row (even if it's just a walk or a short yoga sequence in my living room)
• Develop (semi) passive income streams (launch an online coaching program, e-book, etc)
• Complete my Yoga Teacher Certification (requires teaching 20 group classes and 5 private sessions)
• Stay TV free; keep up the minimal coffee/dairy/meat intake

Of course many of these are GIANT stretch goals, but I say go big or go home, baby! If I try and I fail, I know I will learn a ton in the process. And the side outcomes of pursuing such big things might surprise me :)

Merlin Mann: Stop Blaming the Pancacke

Finally, for a great article on not giving up on goals or resolutions, check-out Merlin Mann's Resolved: Stop Blaming the Pancake. An excerpt:

No matter how good a cook you are, and no matter how hard you try, the first pancake of the batch always sucks. It comes out burnt or undercooked or weirdly shaped or just oddly inedible and aesthetically displeasing.

...And, like clockwork–usually around today or maybe tomorrow–a huge cohort of those cooks will begin to abandon their resolve and go back to thinking all their pancakes have to suck. Just because that first one failed.

...Accept that the first pancake will always suck. Hell, if you’ve never picked up a spatula before, be cool with the fact that your first hundred pancakes might suck. This is, as I’ve said, huge. Failure is the sound of beginning to suck a little less.

How about you -- how do you set big goals and plan for the year ahead? How do you stay motivated even when the first pancake sucks?

***

P.S. I guest-posted at Doniree's blog for her "This is my year to ____" series: jump on over to read more about my year to FLY.

P.P.S. Reminder: I'll be delivering a free 60-minute career strategy webinar this Thursday from 12-1 PST. Join us if you can! Here’s a brief description:

The Ladder is Out — How to Manage Your Career in the Age of the App The era of climbing the ladder as a method of managing your career is out. We are now in the age of the app – everything you need is at your fingertips, fully customizable to your unique career dreams and aspirations. Rather than follow a linear path, learn how to explore, experiment and build a strong foundation that suits your dynamic talents and goals. [Read more and sign-up]

A Manifesto: Dancing with Demons and Finding the Light

I wanted to write a manifesto over the holidays to make the principles that underlie my writing and my life clearer to myself and others. I started making an outline and was going to tell you to take things one day at a time, to stop auditioning for other people's lives and to start doing what you love, because you don't ALWAYS have to pursue your passion full-time. BORING! I gave up after five minutes, feeling totally frustrated and like a giant cliche.

Then I found the following diary entry as I was searching for a submission to the My Diary Unlocked project (whose mission is to share meaningful diary entries to help others live authentically), and in an instant it all became clear.

November 15, 1998 (I had just turned 15)

Dear Diary,

I can't help but write even though I have nothing to say. My overall feeling right now is anxious/nervous butterflies. I feel like I'm slipping away from everything and I'm holding on for dear life; while at the same time trying to do a one-handed push-up. Just to stay on track I have to fight so hard. Journalism, guys, softball, volleyball. I feel so clueless. I feel fat - and like I don't add up; like I have some good qualities but not enough to be anyone worthwhile.

Love, Jenny

Why do I read so many self-help books? Why do I care so deeply about sharing what I learn with you?

Because I don't want any of us to feel that despondent ever again. And if -- by some unfortunate cognitive error or faulty intellectual logic -- we do, I want us to have the tools to fight our way out and thrive. I want us all to live BIG...unapologetic and unafraid. Those of us who survived those tumultuous teen years were (thankfully) born with the ability to pull ourselves out of emotional ruts, but I am fiercely committed to make those tools even easier to find and access as adults.

I want you to know how special you are. I want you to know how loved you are. I want you to feel proud of yourself and proud of your life. I want you to appreciate and feel appreciated. I want you to smile more and dream bigger. I want you to take great leaps; to give yourself a chance to show how brilliant and resilient you really are. I want you to wake up excited and energized for the days ahead. I want you to to feel absolutely exhilarated by the possibility of it all.

Why am I here writing? Why the positive twist on everything? Why the overuse of exclamation marks and smiley faces?

Because I've felt the darkness. I've cried myself to sleep many times in my life, often "without reason" because I couldn't pinpoint what was wrong. Sometimes I still can't. This diary entry reminded me of every night I laid my head on a pillow soaked with tears . . . where writing it all down -- every high and low and tortured thought -- felt like my only salvation.

I was born with an active mind that bounces from dark to light with equal energy; a mind that dances with demons when I'm not careful. Maybe you were too.

So if I can shine some light on your day - help you laugh, feel better, solve a problem, think differently, live bigger - then I have done my job.

Kate Earl captures my sentiments perfectly in the chorus of her song, All I Want. To say I'm obsessed is an understatement.

If I could touch one lonely soul, If I could heal and be so bold To be a spark, to be a light, Set one heart on fire; That's all I ever wanted That's all I want, That's all I ever really wanted.

[youtube id="-aQjd_iBabs"]

***

P.S. Many of you have asked how the Creative Day of New Years Genius turned out -- in short, brilliant! It was a huge success for all involved . . . more to follow soon. One thing I did want to ask right away with all my creative juices flowing:

How can I be most helpful to you this year? What would you love to see on Life After College?

2011: Calling All Dreamers

I feel like I'm on mile 23 of a marathon with the book coming out in less than three months (!!) and now is the time to turn on the burners -- put every minute that I'm not at Google to strategic use. It's a really exciting, motivating feeling to see the finish line up ahead . . . and much to the chagrin of well-meaning great friends hoping to drag me out of the house, nothing will break my focus at this point. I'm also not big on expensive parties or fighting for taxi cabs, so I planned on spending this New Years Eve alone in my condo, working on projects that energize me and that would help set the tone for an uber-creative 2011. Projects that get me so fired up that they don't even feel like work.

I mentioned this casually to a few friends -- New Years orphans who were ambivalent about their existing plans -- and before I knew it, I had four fabulous women in for the count.

Why am I telling you this? Because I have big plans for us in 2011.

Yes, YOU.

Even if you don't nerd-out on New Years Eve like us, I want you to think about a big dream that you might be tiptoeing around, and I want you to join me in 2011 by setting up your own "creative day of greatness." If our New Years bonanza goes well, I plan on hosting many more throughout the year (even virtually).

But you don't have to wait for me, of course. Pick a date and commit to starting that big, hairy, scary project that is crying out for your love and attention. I know you might be afraid, or self-conscious, or unsure if this is the right time or if you have the right idea or if you're the right person to pursue it.

Do it anyway.

Not that you even need it, but I hearby grant you the permission to start even without perfect conditions or all the pieces in place.

Arranging a creative genius day or night also requires properly setting the stage. What would make it the most fabulous, soul-stirring experience EVER? My friend Julie and I brainstormed for tonight and came up with what we think is a great list.

The "Marathon Day of Creative New Years Genius" will entail:

• Morning yoga session (delivered by moi) for anyone who's here early -- we're planning on starting the festivities around 11:00 a.m.
• Writing "sprints" throughout the day on our biggest ideas. We'll try a system where we work for 40 minutes, then chat, share, brainstorm and collaborate for 20 minutes - off and on throughout the day. We'll also set a few goals at the outset about what would be most thrilling to accomplish.
• Piles of magazines & a flip chart to do vision-boarding
• Doing other cool things like taking symbolic action on something that scares us; emailing an author we really respect (hi Martha Beck!)
• Fire in the fireplace, great music playing in the background
• Favorite foods potluck -- pasta, pizza, chips/salsa, green-bean casserole, cupcakes & macaroons -- to name a few
• Prosecco for midnight; we may very well also put on fancy dresses and throw a dance party for the countdown. Good times!

How about you - what would your IDEAL Creative Day of Genius entail?

By the way, I'm serious. I want you to pick a dream of yours - even just a corner of it - and commit to it. Schedule your jump-start session alone or with friends, and start bringing your big ideas to life. Then send me an email to let me know how it goes!

No matter what you find yourself doing tonight, have an amazing time. Cheers -- to dreaming, scheming and greatness for all of us in 2011! :)

***

1:1 Big Goal Brainstorming / Coaching / Genius Hours:

If you are hoping to take your first steps toward a big dream in 2011 and you want some extra accountability and support, get in touch with me. Right now I'm offering sample coaching sessions at 50% off - $50 for 45 minutes of bringing out your inner genius.

I want us all to dream BIG in 2011, and I would love nothing more than to help you start taking baby steps toward your biggest goals. As your coach, I'll help you do big-picture visioning, uncover your values, set specific goals, knock out limiting beliefs or barriers to action, and brainstorm ways to make substantial progress -- all supported by assignments for you to work on between sessions. Nothing gets me more fired up than working with you on making your biggest dreams a reality. Learn more here.

Looking for another great way to kick-off 2011?

Join me for a free 60-minute career strategy webinar with People On-the-Go during the second week of January (hint: one of my first e-books in the making!). Here's a brief description:

The Ladder is Out -- How to Manage Your Career in the Age of the App The era of climbing the ladder as a method of managing your career is out. We are now in the age of the app - everything you need is at your fingertips, fully customizable to your unique career dreams and aspirations. Rather than follow a linear path, learn how to explore, experiment and build a strong foundation that suits your dynamic talents and goals. [Read more and sign-up]

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Big love and hugs to all of you :)

Happy 3-Year Blogiversary to Life After College!

It's been a great year here at Life After College. Better than great. SO GREAT that I was going to skip doing this round-up post because it feels self-indulgent, and I much prefer to give you thought-provoking new content.

However, my blog turned three years old this month and without my blog, my life dream of being an author would not be realized. So it's only fair that I celebrate this little corner of the Internet!

By the way - I think blogs age in dog years - 3 years feels like a lifetime...in a good way. I can't even imagine my life without this outlet and the friends and readers I've made because of it.

For more "best of" content: see the Happy Blogiversary posts for Year 1 and Year 2, or check out my shiny brand new "New Here?" guided tour.

Personal Milestones: I am humbled by everything that made the items below possible. I still have to pinch myself, and I only hope that I can give back to the world in equal if not far greater amounts for the gifts I've received.

• March - Attended SXSW for the first time
• June - Got a BOOK DEAL and signed the contracts
• July - Traveled to Brazil for work; Completed my life coaching certification 2.5 years after I started CTI's coach training program. I'm now officially a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC)! Revamped coaching programs coming soon.
• September - Made my first TV appearance in a 30-minute interview for my friend Gopi's Change Makers program.
• October - Completed Yoga Teacher Training at the White Lotus Foundation in Santa Barbara.
• November - sent the book to press after two years of writing and editing
• December - got the first galley copies of my book (Check-out the "collector's edition" cover that serves as a reminder to fight for what you believe in!)
• Other - Completed a one-year term on the Board of Governors for the International Coaches Association, hosted Pam Slim and Chris Guillebeau for Authors@Google talks, delivered coach-training to dozens of senior-level managers and launched a global drop-in 1:1 coaching program at Google - a long-time professional dream in the making.
• More 2010 reflection on travel, memorable moments and highs and lows on my Tumblr for #reverb10.

My favorites and the most popular posts of 2010:

• January - 10 Reasons I Love my Cubicle
• February - SUZE ORMAN KNOWS WE EXIST!!! (Video), and Empty Spaces and Moving Past Loneliness
• March - Domesticating Jaguars: Let's all learn from my crazy dream, Career Development for Gen Y (Video)
• April - Memo: You are not your job, Promotions: 10 Tips for Moving up the Corporate Ladder (Audio), Life is Like a Box of Cupcakes + Outtakes (Video)
• May - What if I was just myself?, My Sandboxed Life, 8 Ways to Organize your Life with Google Docs
• June - Success Demons...and a Signed Contract (+ Video), Guest Post: How I Outsource my Life to Over 13 People
• July - The Sweet Sting of Rejection, 20 Life Lessons I Learned on the Rogue River
• August - Live for the Dip
• September - An Open Letter to Love: It's Not You, It's Me (most commented/re-tweeted post of the year)
• October - Overwhelmed by your inbox? The case for email parties
• November - Book off to press!!! Blogger Speechless, On Limerence...and a Break-up Template
• December - A Letter from my Future Self

Blog Stats:

• Visits - In the last month I received 11,580 visits (20,532 page views) from 110 countries -- up from last year's 7,000+ visits (13,500 page views) from 97 countries. The total visits for 2010 was just over 100,000 uniques (200,000 page views).
• Top Keywords - In 2010, the keyword "life after college" sent 8,773 visits. "Jenny Blake" was the next highest search query with 1,199 visits.
• Quirky keywords (a personal favorite stat) - bad cubicle position, can limerence be broken? (don't I wish!), can you rent a real live jaguar?, do you stop having fun after college?, it's not you it's me letters, I'm too sexy for my cube, limerence is a bitch, running with cupcakes, tell myself I love my job, and possibly my favorite - it hurts to throw away an empty box of Sprinkles cupcakes.
• Best "Jenny Blake" keywords - jenny blake cover model (I'll take it!), jenny blake engagement ring (looks over both shoulders - none here), jenny blake exercise videos (nope, sorry!), jenny blake sexy (okay I like that one), jenny the cat woman secret lives (damnit, I liked the sexy keyword better).
• My most popular content in 2010 (according to Analytics) - 8 ways to organize your life with Google Docs (6,054 pageviews), How I Stay Organized (5,869 pageviews), A Day in the Life of My Paycheck (3,096 pageviews), and the Life Checklist Template (2,576 pageviews). I think many of these made it to StumbleUpon, which really helped drive traffic.
• Most Popular Templates - Four-Step Budget (2,285 users), Professional Development Strategy (2,158 users), Life Checklist (2,255 users), Job Interview One-Sheeter (2,333 users)

Last but certainly not least, THANK YOU.

Thank you for:

• Being here
• Being awesome - the best readers I could ever ask for
• Reading, engaging, commenting
• Making all of this possible

One of my mentors, Chris Guillebeau, often says he gets paid in nice emails. I feel exactly the same way. I am richer every day from amazing reader emails, new friends, community, and gratitude. Thank you from the very bottom of my heart.

A Letter from my Future Self (#reverb10)

This month I am participating in the #Reverb10 project with 4,000+ other bloggers (read the archive of my entries on my Tumblr); a daily prompt to help people “reflect on this year and manifest what’s next.” I’m also incredibly honored to contribute as an author - today's post is a response to my own prompt:

Future self. Imagine yourself five years from now. What advice would you give your current self for the year ahead?

Dear Jenny,

I am so proud of you. You've worked really hard to get where you are, and I want you to relax now. You have so many good things coming, you don't have to work as hard as you think you do. Enjoy your life and watch things unfold, all in perfect time. Time to square your shoulders back, hold your head high, and keep moving through your life with grace and ease. And don't forget to smile!

From my perch five years from now, I can tell you that you will not remember all those little tasks, deadlines and emails you worry about. You've got the small stuff covered. You've accomplished every goal you've ever set and then some. I hope you are as proud of yourself as I am.

Amidst all the external definitions of success, please don't forget to look inward.

A few reminders:

• Take care of yourself. Eat well. Exercise. Get outside. Get plenty of sleep. Rest and remember to spend plenty of time alone. Put yourself first so that you can share your best gifts with the world.
• Be nicer to yourself. Weighing ten pounds less does not make you a better or more interesting person. Weighing ten or twenty pounds more does not make you unloveable. For every day or every moment you criticize yourself, you are cheating yourself out of your fullest joy.
• Face some hard truths. You will hit rough patches. You will have more "lowest moments of your life." Again you will find yourself feeling dark and depressed. Again you will find yourself going to sleep fully clothed because you cannot muster the emotional energy to get undressed. These moments always turn out to be your best teachers. These are the moments that will help you serve others in new, extraordinary ways.
• Let people in. You will know when the time is right. When it is, let go. Let yourself love with abandon. You don't have to protect yourself so much. You will still be able to take care of yourself if and when these relationships end, and they will have given you new perspectives on life.
• Forgive yourself. It's time to stop carrying all that guilt. That you could have been nicer, more accommodating, more supportive, more generous, more selfless; that you could have given more time and attention - or even more love. The past is in the past, and you are doing the very best you can. The very best does not mean perfect. It is okay if you aren't perfect -- none of us are.
• Live your life on your own terms. Stop looking for everyone's approval. Stop living in fear that if you say or do the wrong thing, you will lose people forever. If that happens, it wasn't meant to be. Stop auditioning for other people's lives and embrace yourself, exactly as you are.
• A note on judging others. It is so easy to do - we all do it. But be careful who you judge, what you turn your nose up to, and the opinions you rally behind without questioning. They almost always come back to teach you a lesson by giving you the very experience that you were so quick to judge. Treat others with respect, compassion and an open-mind at every possible moment.
• You are capable of so much more than you even realize. We all are. You have infinite power at your fingertips and it's just waiting for you to engage it. Take those risks you are afraid of taking. Trust yourself. You've gotten yourself this far in your life -- keep going. Even more greatness lies ahead if you can just take the leap, even in those moments where you can't see the other side yet. Dream even bigger! Reach for the stars - they are waiting for you.
• Soak it up, baby! Whew - this is heavy stuff. Remember not to take yourself too seriously! Lighten up, laugh, have fun, be young, sing and dance your heart out. Celebrate! Be thankful for all of your gifts and blessings. Honor them by letting yourself experience bliss at every opportunity. Let the bliss grow and expand. Sprinkle gold dust around everyone and everything you can see.

I know you know this, because you've said it before -- you already have everything you need. Time to stop chasing and start embracing. I have no doubt you will do it with flying colors. You already have.

Oodles of love and cupcakes*, Jenny

---

*P.S. Yes. That is ACTUALLY a picture of a french-toast bacon cupcake.

---

P.P.S. Pictures and highlights from the recent trip to New York City:

I had the absolute time of my life in New York City last week, and plan on returning as often as I possibly can in 2011. Highlights: singing at the top of my lungs to "All I Want For Christmas is You" with my friend Julie in Toritilla Flats while watching Monday Night football, doing Yoga at 4am with a new friend in the Standard Gym, Wednesday's cupcake tweet-up (see below), meeting up with Gabrielle Bernstein at The SoHo House for coffee and her wise author wisdom, celebrating Ann's 40th with all of her wonderful friends and family at Cuba, and buying the 12-cupcake sampler pack from Crumbs for immediate consumption in The Standard Lounge one snowy afternoon.

Here are a few pictures that capture some of the fun:

Cupcake tweet-up at Eleni's in Chelsea Market with amazing blogger ladies (so fabulous that a random passer-by asked for my business card because we "were so inspiring!"). From left to right: Top row - Monique Johnson, Chloe Tashjian, Teresa Wu, Me, Sam Karol, ChaChanna Simpson; Bottom row - Lissy Carr, Allie Mahler, Ginny Becker and Diana Antholis.

Here's a picture of me and Ann (my NYC Angel) before her birthday party:

Me and Julie at Tortilla Flats:

Can't wait to see what those of you participating in #reverb10 reply to today's prompt! And much love and gratitude to the #reverb10 team: Cali, Kaileen & Gwen.

The Personal MBA: Interview & Book Giveaway

I have a confession. When people ask me why I started Life After College five years ago, I tell them it's because I felt lost and lonely at age 20 and wanted to help other graduates get on their feet faster. But there's another reason too. I thought I needed to start a business so that I could get into business school (run my life according to the mysterious admissions office gods...great plan, huh?), so I launched this website two years before it became a blog. I've never told anyone that because I don't want to take away from the passion I feel for helping others, and I'm somewhat embarrassed by the less-than-pure beginning.

I felt like business school would give me some magic credibility, validity and career success. But after I bought 4 GMAT/MBA books that I didn't even crack open ONCE in the span of a year, I realized I couldn't stomach going into $150K of debt just for a degree that I wasn't sure would deliver what I was wanting.

Enter Josh Kaufman and his The Personal MBA project. Josh has a blog and book that provide comprehensive business-education resources to help people "master the art of business without mortgaging [their] lives."

I've had the pleasure of interviewing Josh, and am excited to announce another book giveaway! Leave a comment below by Thursday, 12/23 and I will select a winner using Random.org to receive a copy of The Personal MBA.

Interview with Josh Kaufman

Many of my readers are twenty-somethings and recent college grads. What would you advise those who are on the fence about getting an MBA? What about those who don't really feel like they need one, but feel pressure (from parents or society) to get that extra credential?

Save your money - you can do much better by investing a little time learning the basics on your own. Research indicates that getting an MBA doesn't really help you in the long run, and getting an MBA can be enormously expensive, particularly if you attend a top school. On top of the direct expense, student loans restrict your freedom and flexibility in ways that severely limit your options. All told, the very limited potential benefits aren't worth the massive risks - particularly if you're interested in starting your own business.

Getting an education and obtaining a credential are entirely different things. You don't need a credential to do well in business, since there are no legal requirements that force you to get a credential before getting started. Your customers don't care whether or not you have a degree if you can give them what they need or want.  Provide enough value to people who want what you have enough to pay for it, and you'll do quite well, degree or no degree.

You do, however, need a world-class education if you want to do well in business. Fortunately, you can learn what you need to know on your own, without mortgaging your life in the process.

If you're feeling pressure from other people to obtain a credential, it helps to remember that they aren't living your life. You owe it to yourself to figure out what you want, and the best way to go about getting it. Other people may have opinions, but they're just that - opinions. Ultimately, you live with the consequences of your actions, so make your own decisions.

I often use the phrase, "If you're not learning, you are obsolete." How do you hope to change the business-related learning game with this book?

My goal is to help people interested in business learn the essentials - the very small set of ideas they need to understand in order to do great work. I call these ideas "business mental models," and my job is to help you learn them as quickly as possible.

As it turns out, the 80/20 principle applies to learning too. Learn the 5% of concepts that provide 95% of the value of business study, and you'll do quite well. Once you know the fundamentals, you can go surprisingly far, whether you're staring your own company or doing great work for someone else. My book is designed to teach those fundamentals.

Most people assume business is complicated, and as a result, they find it difficult to get started. The wonderful truth is that business isn't complicated - it's just not taught very well, so it's intimidating. Business isn't rocket science, but you do have to know what businesses really are and how they really work if you want to do well.  Once you've mastered the essentials, you're in good shape.

If you could give the Life After College community one piece of encouragement or career advice, what would it be? Experiment constantly - there's no faster way to learn. Side projects, diligently pursued, can benefit you more than even the best degree. If you have an idea for a business, figure out how to start making progress on the side, using your own resources. Speed and flexibility are your friends - just keep making little improvement to discover what works.

The Personal MBA started as a side project - I wanted to learn how to do well in business, so I started learning in my spare time. Six years later, I'm a professional business teacher with clients all over the world, I have no debts, I have the freedom to live however and wherever I want, and I've published my first book... all because I decided to start a crazy side project, experimented constantly, and stuck with it for years. Without experimenting, none of these things would've occurred, and my life would be very different.

What has been your biggest failure-turned-success or blessing-in-disguise story (in life or business)? A little over a year ago, I decided to offer my first business course. I thought that bringing a group of people with similar goals to learn and discuss important business concepts via phone would do very well.  I prepared my launch materials, published them, and waited for the signups to roll in.

Radio silence... nothing. In the end, only one person signed up after a week of promotion. My expectations were high, so I was devastated.

After recovering from the disappointment, I tried to figure out why it flopped - so I asked my readers. As it turns out, people were interested in the learning part - they just didn't think they'd be able to commit to meeting regularly at certain times, so they didn't sign up. That was a Barrier to Purchase I could fix.

Two weeks later, I launched the Personal MBA Business Crash Course. It was the same learning material, with a different structure - an online video course that my students could take at their own pace, no matter where they lived around the world.

Almost immediately, over 200 people signed up - far better than I expected.  Since then, the course has developed into a very active and dedicated community of business learners from around the world, and is a cornerstone of my business education company.

Keep experimenting, and you'll inevitably find something that works. In a very real sense, there's no such thing as failure - just experiments that provide you with more data to use in the next iteration.

To enter to win the book giveaway: leave a comment below by Thursday, 12/23 and I will select a winner using Random.org to receive a copy of The Personal MBA.

***

On a related note: want to network without the pain of small-talk?

Brazen Careerist's Network Roulette is one of the most innovative developments I've seen recently in the networking space. You can sign into Brazen Careerist and get paired up with a new person to chat with for three minutes at a time. If you enjoyed talking to each other, it's easy to send a follow-up note afterward.

Ryan also recently announced a daily lunch hour (12EST, 9PST) called Community Karma to "make sure everyone gets the help that they need through 3-minute conversations with me and other community leaders on Brazen Careerist." I highly recommend trying a Network Roulette or the daily karma hour - it's a great way to meet a lot of people with similar interests in a short amount of time!

10 Questions to Help You Stop Thinking and Start DOING (with template!)

This post is going to be absolutely worthless to you if you don't actually take action (hence, the title). If you're busy or not interested in taking at least 10 minutes to reflect and answer some questions about something you care about, feel free to skip it, star it, or come back later. For those of you still with me: start by grabbing a pen and paper or use the handy template I created for this post.

Now for some context: this is a re-post from Elysa Rice's December’s Top Tens in 2010 Series. There are tons of great bloggers submitting posts on everything from de-stressing to reasons you don't need a new job. I highly recommend you give GenPink (and the series) a visit -- especially since Elysa is an all-around awesome person and GenY blogging pioneer.

10 Questions to help you stop thinking and start DOING

Close your eyes for a minute and think of a problem, a tough decision or a big question that you are weighing and would like an answer to. Set aside 15-30 minutes to reflect on the questions below, either in your head or on paper (I use Google Docs — and even created a template for you). You might also focus on one question each day or week – let each one ruminate over time, then jot down notes as various responses pop up.

Do you have a topic yet?

You might be tempted to just skim this post and pretend you have a topic, even though you know it’s fuzzy and you’re just sort of going through the motions (we all do it). Before you keep going, really think of something. Don’t keep reading until you have a topic or idea in mind that is so-big-it’s-scary (but also exciting).

Now for the fun part - let's get to work!

1. When you think of [topic], what are you most excited about?
2. How does this [topic] fit in with your vision of your highest self?
3. What is your goal in this area? Now double it. What is the version of the goal that is so big you are afraid to admit (even to yourself) for fear of failure?
4. What’s holding you back / What are you afraid of?
5. What support do you need to move forward?
6. What one next step would make the biggest impact to move your forward (or help with your decision)?
7. What would achieving this get you?
8. Close your eyes and ask each major decision-making system for advice: What does your head say? What does your heart say? What does your gut say? How can you reconcile the three? (Okay so I cheated and combined four questions in one)
9. Dig even deeper. What do you really want?
10. What are you waiting for?

After you’ve reflected on the questions above, take a minute to answer the bonus million dollar question:

Based on your answers above, what are you willing to take ACTION on in the next week? Leave your answer in the comments below!

***

The Anti-Resume - Career Development Video Interview:

Mike Krass is hosting a great interview series on his blog, The Anti Resume, in which I discuss career development tips and pitfalls. Some of the questions covered in the ~15 minute video (full transcript also available):

• Given your work with the website and what you have done professionally at Google, what is your take on career development?
• If you don’t have a team or are in between jobs, how can you guide the goals you want to set to help you take steps to get where you want to go career wise?
• As to what you have done professionally and with your personal work, what is one piece of advice that you would give to positively influence someone’s career choices?
• What is one piece of advice that would negatively influence someone’s career decisions?
• What is one great tactic you would suggest to use to successfully build relationships?

Click here to watch and share your thoughts!