What will I do with this blog?
The 2 Most Important Days In Your Life – A Lesson On Website Creation
Mark Twain once wrote, “The 2 most important days in your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why.”
I just learned this quote today. I’m surprised it didn’t get on my radar screen sooner because I think it’s one of the most thought provoking statements I’ve ever pondered. I’ll
most likely ponder it forever.
Mark Twain, in his wisdom is using this poignant statement to awaken our consciousness to examine our life’s purpose. “Why am I here? What is my purpose? What do I bring to my family, my friendships, the community, the country, the world? What do I bring to life’s table…or do I just take space at it? Have I figured it all out yet? Is there still more to do? Are there really any limitations? What’s next?”
Okay…so what’s this got to do with website creation?
Most websites aren’t created with a specific purpose in mind. They sit there and take up space. They cost money.
Most website don’t deliver good information to visitors and prospective clients, they don’t make an offer, they don’t add any kind of value at all. They exist only by the conversion of an idea, a moment of excitement and action (as most things are conceived and eventually born).
But just as a life is shaped by environment, awareness and experience, so too can a website become reshaped into a purposeful existence. In fact, a website which undergoes transformation, one which brings continually more value to the table, to the users’ experience, evolves into a purposeful piece of the online community, the customers, the industry, the world. this is a website which becomes more visible to more people because it is a positive force online just as a purposeful person becomes more visible in the world by way of a wake of positive influence.
What specific purposes can a website serve?
- Delivers useful resource for valuable information and content
- Collects contact information from people who are qualified clients
- Sells your product or service to people
- Teaches and/or inspire
- Entertains
- Establishes trust
As a marketer, I look at each of these elements as a means to establish a business relationship. Each approach should have an open door, an easy option for people to take a next step toward engaging you and your business: An offer, a free report, a coupon, an invitation. People must be told what you want them to do next. You can’t just expect them to follow the Yellow Brick Road. You need to tell them to follow, follow, follow, follow, follow the yellow brick road. But first, your website must have a purpose and a destination to a specific place where the road takes them.
It doesn’t matter if your website was lacking in purpose when you first created it or had it created for you. All that matters is that you start now to reshape it so it starts producing a specific result you want to get. I hope you want new customers so you can get more sales and make more money.
The purpose of MY website is to deliver good, valuable information. With it, I hope to establish myself as a trusted friend and resource and perhaps you will some day engage me in consideration of serving you with my expert services.
Read Slowly And Carry A Big Wallet
I have a vivid memory of my 2nd grade teacher making this comment: “Andrew was the last one to finish reading but he’s the only one in the class who raised his hand to answer every question I asked about the chapter you all just read.”
I remember feeling embarrassed seeing from the corner of my eyes, the other kids in the class closing their books and raising their eyes toward the teacher indicating they’d finished the classroom reading assignment, and I still had much yet to read. But that day I felt proud and I realized I was actually the only one really reading.
Today I read more than ever, mostly to keep up with the what’s new in internet marketing. There’s also quite a bit of personal development mixed in and I try to keep a little fiction and biographies on the menu. It’s not unusual for me to have 2 or 3 books going at once.
Intrigued by the notion of speed-reading, I’ve invested in a couple of courses in the past but I just can’t wrap my arms around the whole idea. Although I drool at the idea of being able to read a book in a couple of hours (I’d be happy with being able to read one in a week) I just don’t think I’m cut out for it. I feel like I need every word. I don’t want to miss anything!
In a world where the average person reads less than a book a year, I feel confident when I say slow readers are better than “no-readers”.
What’s my message? READ. By reading for just a couple hours per week on a given subject, anyone can become an expert in it. It can be life-changing. (That means: don’t read the trash, read something enriching, educational, inspiring…my advice)
I get most of my books on ebay or Amazon and I’m not ashamed to tell you I buy used books (because they’re dirt cheap). The books I choose purchase are usually titles I here other people I respect reference in their books, conversations or seminars.
Here’s what I’m reading (or recently finished):
- Sermon On The Mount by Emmet Fox
- Robinson Crusoe by Daniel DeFoe
- Maximum Achievement by Brian Tracy
- The Greatest Miracle In The World by Og Mandino
That’s about 2 books per month. I would like to read a book a week but I DO consume a lot of online content, a multi-page newsletter, some educational audio and video as well. Not bad for a slow reader.
I would love to know what you’re reading! Please share!
I’m Andrew Mazer and I think you’re either growing or dying. I prefer growing.
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Pursuit Of Happiness
Happiness is a journey, not a destination.
Happiness only happens when one is engaged in something which, while in the process of doing it, is fulfilling. If this process is taking him toward a final end goal and then the goal is reached, then what? Surely, there’s a point of satisfaction and perhaps some celebration. But how long will the happiness continue?
This is why I can never understand the pursuit of retirement. This is also why peoples’ lives often end so shortly after retirement. Their purpose dries up. Their need to wake up each day and be part of something is drastically diminished and the aging process and mental collapse escalates.
The early astronauts, after they returned from missions were found to become depressed. What next, after you’ve gone to the moon? All their physical and mental preparation, all the time they spent involved with one another, their support teams, all the meaningful, structured daily events were finished. Since that phenomenon was discovered, now astronauts come back to other purposeful work.
People who retire from their careers should never do so until they have planned their future. Most will say they want to take more time to spend with their family, and that’s all very nice and good. But where IS the family? They’re probably out living their lives, and their careers and the retiree finds himself alone most of the time. Lets face it, even the best of marriages can hardly stand 100% companionship, so the new lifestyle of being at home rarely works out very well.
People are meant to provide purpose on this earth, not just for themselves and their family but for their environment. Sitting around watching TV ain’t gonna cut it.
Productivity is happiness. Purpose is happiness. Rest and complacency isn’t. Happiness is the pursuit of doing something and being something worthwhile.