JustinMcCullough.com

Growth Catalyst, Leadership Development and Team Builder

Books

This Ebook Helps You Zero In On Your Best Work

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I wrote this ebook to help you accomplish meaningful work.

Most entrepreneurs and high performers focus on job fit and doing great work by maximizing their talent usage and continually developing skills. In many cases, passion and zeal for the work and a sense of purpose are sacrificed at the altar of progress and achievement. For others, it’s exactly the opposite situation; they follow their passion in search of purpose and struggle to be fulfilled because the work seems out-of-sync with their skills and talents.

Meaningful work comes from the intersection of your skills and talents with your passions and purpose while being congruent with your values. This is work that comes from a place deep within your heart. But let’s be honest, the internal stuff is often messy and it’s easier to point to the external issues like the workplace or current projects, clients, employees or bosses when it comes to happiness, fulfillment, and blockers to great work. But, your best work comes from the inside out!

The challenge of meaningful work is to make sense of all the amazing things within you, your skills, talents, passion, purpose and values so you can truly bring about your best work.

During an unexpected job loss I found myself reaching out to Justin to help me think clearly about my next steps. I felt like this was a time to clarify who I was and where I wanted to go with my life. During our time together Justin helped me understand the difference between a calling and a vocation, how to define that calling, and then how to work towards that calling. This was important because I reached out to Justin during a time of confusion and I knew that if I wasn’t careful I could end up again in a frustrated and confusing position six months down the road. Justin generously gave an hour and a half of phone time to me each week, but I have to confess that the one exercise that really brought it home for me was the Zero In On Your Work worksheet. It took me about an hour to complete, but afterwards I felt like I had a true vision and a mission for the first time in my life. And I’ve been at this professional thing for nearly two decades. Thank you, Justin.
— Demian Farnworth

Subscribe below to get access to the ebook instantly.

Table of Contents:
Preface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 02
Table of Contents. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . 03
Introduction, Premise and Key Insights . . . . 04 – 09
Ayn Rand Quote. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Instructions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Identify Character Strengths . . . . . . . . . 12 – 13
Define Purpose and Passion . . . . . . .. . . . . . 14
Define Skills, Talents, Roles & Functions.. . . . . 15
Define Your Audience & Vehicle . . . . . .. . . . . 16
Right A Wrong & Conclusion . . . . . . . .. . . . . 17
Final Thoughts . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . 18
Additional Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
About Justin McCullough. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . 20

Here are some examples of the contents of the ebook.

I will admit, the original version of the workbook was born out of my own necessity to sort out my ambitions and desires for purposeful work. Like many, I searched online for a helpful guide and wasn’t able to find what I was looking for. So I made it myself. That was over five years ago and since then I have gone on to share the message of purposeful work at conferences and have this worksheet used by hundreds of people.

If you’re feeling stuck, burned out, or questioning why all your success at work isn’t giving you the fulfillment you think it should and you really want to find the best way to utilize your skills and talents with purpose – this ebook is a great resource.

Download it today. Simply scroll down and signup in the box below.

Are You Smart Enough To Get Smarter?

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For years, I thought I had a lot of things figured out. It wasn’t until I learned about a key ingredient all great leaders and professionals had, that I did not. I still remember the revelation clearly, it was the summer of 2005 in a large conference room.

That day in September marked a transforming experience for me while attending an advertising conference. On the last day of the conference, I heard the keynote speaker, Bryan Dodge, tell a story about “The Richest Man In Babylon”. According to Bryan, The Richest Man in Babylon is one of the best books most often recommended by professionals and executives for its principles on personal finances and it’s an absolute must read.

One of Bryan’s key messages that day, long ago in September of 2005, was that it’s up to us to bring good information in and educate and develop ourselves – no one else will, so we must. He also commented on how we were all in sales – selling people on our ideas, our children on the friends they keep and the books they read and shows they watch. The task of sales is a way of life, not a professional title.

Bryan then went on to explain how cheap the Richest Man in Babylon was to purchase, how small it was and how quick it was to read, how valuable and helpful the content inside was and how none of us attending the conference would actually read it, except for maybe one or two people.

Bryan said:
Right now, 500 of us in the group are actually listening, about 300 of us have written the name of the book down in our conference notepad and about half of us will decide to go to the book store to buy it and out of the 150 or so that decide to go, half of those people will run other errands first and never make it to the bookstore as planned. The remaining 75 of us would get to the store, but of that group, half of us would be distracted by the coffee, bargain books and magazines, and the remaining half would actually make it to the shelf where the Richest Man in Babylon sits. From there, some of us would get distracted and look at the other books next to it instead and only about 10 of us in the entire room would actually purchase the book – and sadly, 5 of the 10 owners of the book would never attempt to read the copy they purchased – opting for the osmosis approach, and 3 of us would start reading it but never finish… But 1 or 2 of us in the entire group of more than 500, would actually read the book entirely and set their course for a new life of knowledge seeking and book reading.

That day changed my life.

I made a commitment to increase my information sources and professional development beyond just attending conferences, seminars and reading on the web. That day I purchased his DVD and series of CD’s and audio workshops with $300 I didn’t have to spend.

Despite the hurricane that hit my area two weeks later, the relocation of my entire family as a result while my wife was 8 months pregnant and then having our first born child 200 miles from family, the loss of all my clients and closing down my company operations, I purchased and read the book.

I WAS the one person who completed the challenge Bryan foretold. The Richest Man In Babylon, in late 2005, became my first of many books. Bryan Dodge and that book are forever endeared as a turning point in my life as a truly committed professional and knowledge seeker.

As you might have guessed, I highly recommend you read The Richest Man In Babylon and make a commitment to read it and many more thereafter.

Click here to get my complete book list. 

Have you read the Richest Man In Babylon or have a must read suggestion? Tell me about it below.

5 Must Read Books and Why

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5 Must Read Books and Why

One of my business boundary pushing colleagues, Jason Kellie, recently brought up a few thoughts on “books” and “reading” on his blog.

Jason wants to know a few things:

  • Why I read books
  • What my reading process is
  • What my top 5 book recommendations are

    • You can see Jason’s answers to those three points on his blog Idea2Opportunity.com.

    Jason and I tweet to each other daily, swap emails weekly, and skype occasionally. I respect Jason for his entrepreneurial ways and his willingness to act on his thoughts. He is business savvy, has a record of success, and fearless when it comes to exploring new territory. He also started an awesome CD / DVD company called DittoBite where you can print short-run or just one disk for about $1 and I think that business fits well with the growth in consumer production where “everyone” is now a producer. Jason is also a Linchpin and one of the earliest members of The Linchpin Way community.

    Jason, here are your answers…

    As I’ve mentioned in other blog posts, I believe in reading books. I’m a big reader and shared my 2009 book list as well as my first load of books to read for this year.

    Why I read books:

    Inspiration

    I read books with an open mind so it’s easy to be inspired when the information is let in freely. For me, books inspire me to create, experiment, contemplate, and go somewhere I may not have gone before. Books like Linchpin inspire me to act.

    Personal Growth

    I want to grow personally and books allow me to learn the truest lessons of the author. Think about that. A book is typically the cream that rises to the top in the author’s mind and you get it just by reading what may have taken them years to ascertain. Talk about short cuts to personal development.

    Mentoring

    As a mentor, it’s my responsibility to learn, stretch and grow so I can take information and teach others. No new information, no new teaching. Every book I read becomes useful to a future lesson I have not yet shared. Books like Marketing 2.0 inspire me to teach social media for business where as books like All Marketers are Liars inspire me to grow the potential of every marketer and business owner.

    Leadership

    The only way to see around corners and through walls is to have unexpected insight that most do not have. As a leader, the books I read coupled with my own real life experience allow me to see around corners, develop a broader worldview, and see trends, cycles and patterns that others don’t see because they don’t have the incoming data points to connect. Books like the Long Tail and Tipping Point allow me to better define the “why” behind the “what” and because I know to look for it – I see it when others don’t.

    Attention

    Yep, I said it. I read books for attention… Well I mean, I read books for the nuggets that are repeatable, easy to share and interesting. I read books for the story-telling value, the ability for me to have unexpected connections to conversations and ideas with other people. No-one likes a no-it-all, but everyone loves a good story (and the story-teller). Books keep me full of good stories to tell.

    My reading process:

    I have several books I am reading at a given time. As few as three and as many as six. I have my “clutch” book, the one I’m committed to reading the fastest. Then I have my “in progress” books that I want to read, but don’t have a mental timeline in mind. Then I have my “fluff” book that is my time away book (I treat this book like TV time – its entertainment). Then I have my “travel” book which is an audio book in my truck and instead of talk radio or music, I listen to an audio book – even if I’ve heard it already.

    I read my clutch book about 20 – 30 minutes daily. I typically read from my in progress books about 5 – 10 minutes daily. I read my fluff book when the moment feels right which is usually a few times a week for about 20 minutes. My travel book is the duration of my road trip so usually at least 30 minutes.

    Right now, I am reading 6 books as described above. Also, not that it matters, but I always read two pages at least and when I stop, I always stop on the left page at the first noticeable break or paragraph end so I know where to pick up later. Yes, I am a dork.

    Justin’s Top 5 Books

    This is tricky and it’s possible if you asked me at a later date I may not select the same books. I have intentionally not included spiritual books that are indeed on my top list.

    1. The Richest Man in Babylon by George S Clason – Ground Zero for understanding personal finances.
    2. The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino – We are all salesmen and this book is paramount for integrity based selling.
    3. How Full is your Bucket by Tom Rath and Donald O Clifton – Truly understand why and how positive interaction will change your life and those around you (it’s a lifestyle).
    4. Linchpin by Seth Godin – Own your life and live it fully. Your art is a gift, do the work that matters, don’t be a cog in the system.
    5. Purple Cow by Seth Godin – Success follows things that are remarkable. Be remarkable.

    What are your Top 5 Books? Tell me below and don’t forget to tell Jason on his blog.

    2010 Book Reading List – 1st load

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    2010 Book Reading List – 1st load

    I have a habit of buying many books at once – in bulk.  Thanks to nice folks giving me BN.com gift cards, this is my first load of books for 2010.  Here’s to happy reading!

    Justins to read stack - January 2010

    Justin's "to read" stack – January 2010

    Leaders are Readers My 2009 Book List

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    Leaders are Readers My 2009 Book List

    So, two blog post got me thinking about the books I’ve read this year.  One from Annie Sorenson which I misstated the books I’ve read and another from Lauren Leto where I ribbed her for not having any business books on her list.

    Anyway, I am often asked “how I know what I know” and while I’d like to take credit for having a huge brain, vast intelligence and an uncanny ability to see the world in a way no one else does, I simply can’t tell that lie.  The truth is, a lot of what I know and the insights I have is because of what I choose to read.  I then apply these insights into my world view and cement them in real life examples of my own – making them my own, but most of what I know is seeded from great books.  I typically read 3 or 4 books at one time.  That seems to keep me the most interested and also allows me to cover several topics at one time.

    I’ve found that books on business, self improvement, sales and just about anything else are truly the cliff notes to success. All you have to do is invest some of your time and attention and a few bucks and you can learn what took someone else countless hours of personal experience and research to create.  Reading books is so much smarter, faster, and more insightful than college classes.  Of course, it’s worthless if you don’t apply what you read or learn and it doesn’t matter if you are reading books that only serve an entertainment purpose.

    I think I’ve covered all the books from this year.  The following is my list of books from 2009.

    1. Referral of a Lifetime by Tim Templeton. (read this twice this year)
    2. Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki with Sharon Lechter (second year in a row to read this book)
    3. The Microsoft Edge by Julie Bick
    4. Tribes by Seth Godin (very quick book – read twice this year)
    5. Innovation by Tom Gorman
    6. Multipreneuring by Tom Gorman
    7. How Full is Your Bucket by Tom Rath and Donald O Clifton ( I read this at least once a year).
    8. The Big Red Fez by Seth Godin
    9. Write the Perfect Book Proposal by Jeff Herman and Deborah Levine Herman
    10. All Marketers are Liars by Seth Godin
    11. Free Publicity by Jeff Criley
    12. The New Rules of Marketing and PR by David Meerman Scott
    13. Unleashing the Idea Virus by Seth Godin
    14. Positioning by Al Ries and Jack Trout
    15. Made to Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
    16. Buzzmarketing by Mark Hughes
    17. Permission Marketing by Seth Godin
    18. Word of Mouth Marketing by Andy Sernovitz
    19. The New Influeners by Paul Gillin
    20. No B.S. Direct Marketing by Dan Kennedy
    21. What Would Google Do by Jeff Jarvis (have this on audio – 2 times this year).
    22. The Google Story by David Vise
    23. Purple Cow by Seth Godin (have this on audio – 5 times this year).
    24. Small is the New Big by Seth Godin (have this on audio – 3 times this year).
    25. Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell (have this on audio – 2 times this year).
    26. The Long Tail by Chris Anderson
    27. How to Build a Complete Sales Person by Bryan Dodge (have this on audio – 3 times this year).
    28. Influence. The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini
    29. Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven ways to be Persuasive by Goldstein, Martin and Cialdini
    30. 91 Mistakes Smart Sales People Make by Tim Conner
    31. The 25 Sales Habits of Highly Succesful Sales People by Stephan Shiffman
    32. Cold Calling Techniques by Stephen Shiffman
    33. How to Become a Marketing Superstar by Jeffrey J Fox.
    34. Magic Bullets by Michael Kessee and Ankesh Kothari
    35. The Dip by Seth Godin
    36. What Matters Now by Seth Godin and friends (free ebook)
    37. Your Best Life Now by Joel Osteen
    38. The Shack by William P Young

    Liesure reading:

    1. NEXT by Michael Chrichton
    2. Ghost Radio by leopoldo Gout
    3. Busting Vegas by Ben Mezrich
    4. People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
    5. The Prince of Frogtown by Rick Bragg
    6. No Survivors by Tom Cain
    7. Ghost Medicine by Andrew Smith
    8. The Boxer and the Spy by Robert B Parker

    So what are you reading?  Do you agree that books are better than college?  What do you recommend I read in 2010?

    Are you trying to figure out what to do next with your career?

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