Unified By a Threat

Unified By Threats?
Category: Goals, Plans, Hopes

JFK's vision of putting a man on the moon unified a nation towards a goal. Unification can be created through a vision or a threat. Remember the 9/11 bombings of the Twin Towers? What happened immediately after? All of a sudden everyone was nice to each other in America, everybody was patriotic; flags soared throughout our nation. Why? Because, a threat was encountered.

This interesting facet of human behavior works every time in most any situation. Take yourself for example. Have you ever felt lost? Or felt fragmented? Or unmotivated? Probably because there was no vision beyond your current state, or no impending threat. If we can find ways to create compelling visions, or artificial threats we can unify ourselves, and act as a whole towards an objective. Ken Wilber, American Philosopher, said that we seek "self realization, through self-transcendence;" in a way this exactly what we're talking about here.

Competition in essence in its basic form uses this model. Especially team sports where you're working towards a goal beyond yourself. In team sports you not only have a compelling vision to win, but you also have a powerful threat - the opposing team.

How about sales? In a sales you can establish immediate rapport by finding a common vision or threat with your client. Some sales forces already do something similar. For example, some finance companies will have the sales agent play the role of "being on your side" against the corporate presidents that will either deny or approve you. The sales agent becomes a team with you against the threat of the fickle executives.

The ultimate utopian vision of world peace and harmony would easily occur spontaneously upon the threat from outside our planet. If we were suddenly under attack by aliens....wallah!...the world would unify and differences, inadequacies, beliefs, history, and everything else would vanish and we would come together.

Angel Armendariz

Iran President - Sales Opportunity Missed?

Iran President - Sales Opportunity Missed?
Category: News and Politics

Big hoopla over the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his speech at Columbia University. He seems a little different. He doubts some happenings such as the holocaust, and the validity of Al Queda's role in 911. So why is he over here speaking at an Ivy League University?

Well, he has a lot to say apparently. Many people protested his arrival and scheduled speech, siting many valid reasons. My take is this....what is our objective? If our objective is to win something then let him speak. If we want to win understanding of our perspective let him speak. If we want to win a war...let him speak. If we want to win an ally let him speak.

If on the other hand we don't want to win anything then don't let him speak. Hard as it may be to set beliefs and emotions aside, to win anything a person or a country must listen, and subordinate resistant emotions and beliefs. A simple strategy we should've learned in grade school most educated adults still struggle with. If "we" are right or "true" then no matter who speaks or what they speak about it will not eliminate the "truth." So we defend something that cannot be destroyed?

Often, we see the same debacle occurring in most of our interactions. In a relationship we want to be understood; we want to feel important and listened to. So in a relationship instead of using a strategy to win and get what we want, we instead use a horrible strategy, and worse keep repeating it with no thought about changing what we're doing. Usually it will consist of not communicating with your partner...and sometimes using mind reading as a tactic. If I want to be listened to then I must listen. If I want to be understood, I must first seek to understand. By giving what I want; I will get all that I want.

In sales the same theme plays out. The incompetent sales person "sells" without first understanding or listening to the buyer. If I want the buyer to listen and to buy; then I must listen first. We all want to win; we all want to be understood and listened to. So lets use a strategy that works. Listen first...understand first...next time you meet someone that you want to see your view...understand theirs first...listen attentively and with curiosity.

We spend billions on war strategies and fancy CRM sales gizmo's and we can easily save money and win by being patient and using effective diplomatic, sales, negotiative, and persuasive strategies. Keep the end in mind...focus not on mood or emotion, but strategy to manifest the desired outcome.

Angel Armendariz

The Strategy of Abandonment

"The one thing which we seek with insatiable desire is to forget ourselves, to be surprised out of our propriety, to lose our sempiternal memory and to do something without knowing how or why; in short to draw a new circle. Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm . The way of life is wonderful; it is by abandonment."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Abandonment, as Emerson suggests, is a way of life. Abandonment means that one surrenders. Surrendering the continual struggle of liking and disliking, of inhibitions, or inadequacies, and assuming a position of freedom. It refers to being beyond oneself. So often we identify only with our physical body, and unconsciously take that as the sum of our existence.

A natural longing for surrender germinates within our most profound depths. We seek that which allows us to go beyond ourselves. Unfortunately many times non-life affirming vices give us that abandonment we seek. Creation, from sexual ecstasy, to intellectual epiphanies dwells in the circle of abandonment. By letting go of our own rigidity and being liberated novel forms intelligence arises.

The default being that we are is bliss. Eastern literature explicates this realization through the many wise sages throughout time. The difficulty in modern times is translating the essence of being into meaningful day to day postmodernity. Succinctly we experience ecstasy by the mere fact of existing. We don't experience our fundamental ecstasy because we are to busy running around chasing artificial forms of it; and worse distracting and preventing ourselves from experiencing this ultimate pleasure through the never-ending noise in our lives.

To forsake our existence is the greatest betrayal. By saying to yourself the mere words surrender, abandonment, freedom, or liberation it can allow us to breathe naturally. This gives us life, happiness, the basic ability to enjoy anything to the highest degree. To indulge in ecstasies through the continual openness of ourselves; to propel ourselves into any challenge, any environment and be greater than we have ever been - this is life, this beckons the angels and celestial beings forward to our cause; through courageous action we become faith, and abandon to union beyond ourselves.

Angel Armendariz

What Kind of Question Is That

Questions are brutally powerful. So powerful in fact that they are the very source of science itself. The very fact that you're able to read this from where you are right now is due to questions. I wonder how many people have actually studied the history of questions and the impact certain questions have had. In your own life questions guide focus, they guide decisions, feelings, moods, emotions, and concepts.

What would happen if you consciously chose which questions you asked yourself throughout the day? For example, during lunch time instead of the trite & overused "What's for lunch?" we asked "What can I eat right now to build a beautiful physique and enhance my energy level?" Do you see the power here?

The small distinctions questions can make in your life can be a gigantic lever of power. Here are some more questions, instead of "How could he...or...why would she?" we could use "How can I....or...what would it take to...?" The key difference here is the first form of question makes us focus on the problem and the power of it. The second set forces you to focus on the desired outcome. Amazing how simple, yet how effective.

Another trick to making question work for you is to refer the question back to you. This gives you honest responsibility, and thus the power to change things in your hands. For example, "why didn't he buy from me?" would be changed to "what could I do to make the sale?" Even better, in regards to a sale, is flat out asking "what would it take for you to buy?" at the point of sales, instead of second guessing and wasting time after the fact.

Novel forms of psychology stem from these lines of questions. The old school Freudian camp were the proverbial "why" junkies. This psychoanalysis was great at wasting time and making a persons problems overwhelming. Forms of psychology that started asking the "how's" and the "what's" questions actually produced radically fast results. Gestalt, Cognitive-psych, and NLP, were the primordial forms of these evolved, results/goal-oriented based psychology therapies.

To change anything immediately change the question. You'll have the honor of joining a group including Einstein, Newton, Galileo, Socrates, and Leonardo Da Vinci.

Angel Armendariz

Tom Brady and Your Harvest

Tom Brady and Your Harvest...
Category: Goals, Plans, Hopes

Tom Brady's Patriots crushed the San Diego Chargers last night. John Madden, who was announcing the game referred to Brady as "making it look so easy." He does make it look easy. Brady has a confidence that seems to be above any challenge. What's interesting is that when they interviewed Randy Moss, he mentioned that he always sees Brady sweating, and he seems to work harder than anyone else. The corollary there is amazing. Similar observation have been made of Steve Nash - 2 time MVP of the NBA.

During a conversation I had earlier today, I was speaking to a close friend about cultivating excellence. I mentioned Brady, for the reason that he was drafted in the 6th round, and now has several NFL championships.

Cultivation is the essence of any highly effective skill. Cultivation means preparation, practice, and nurturing of the fundamental principles that produce the desired result. This consistency is seen in high performers. J. Paul Getty (richest man in the world early 1900's) once said:

"The individual who wants to reach the top in business must appreciate the might and force of habit. he must be quick to break those habits that can break him - and hasten to adopt those practices that will become the habits that help him achieve the success he desires."

The "natural" or the "gifted" individual is made...anything can be cultivated...the human potential is unlimited. Those who seek to see limits will find them and be enslaved by them. Wayne Dyer said it best, "Nobody knows enough to be a pessimist."

Cultivate something worth reaping...this requires patience...delay of the end result...this also requires faith, that is, faith in knowing that you will reap that which you sow. Many times we want the reap with out the sow, lol. The good thing is that we can fall in love with both the reap and the sow...who says that we can only enjoy the end? Enjoy the journey, the rest stops, the side roads, and the multiple destinations...

Angel Armendariz

Competent or Constricted?

"When people get very good at doing things a certain way, they become surprisingly inept at learning new skills when changing conditions demand it. Numerous studies have demonstrated that novices have an easier time mastering new tasks than experts." - David H. Freedman, "The Cost of Competence" INC Mag., Sept. 07

Here we go with change again. It seems to be true when we do something well or "think" we do something well we start to treasure that methodology as if it were a material priceless possession. When we think we do something well most of us aren't very open to listening to new information regarding that topic. As such we become consciously ignorant and slowly become indoctrinated has beens.

Truly effective individuals maintain an infant like curiousity, especially in that which they consider themselves most skilled; for the value of any small distinction in our areas of expertise are incredibly valuable. Having a curious mindstate opens up our awareness to the plethora of information available to become more effective.

Remember that a closed system quickly sinks into an inert energyless impotent ash. Because our manners of speaking frequently consist of affirming things as absolute. We should focus on speaking in terms of what "seems" to be, or what is known of at the current moment. Speaking in a form that acknowledges continual change, and missing information allows us to be conscious of further advancement to be sought.

General Semantics, as founded by Alfred Korzybski, sought to bring to awareness the dangers of our habitual speech patterns. In a nutshell he indicated that our words are intricately connected with us at the most intimate cellular level. Thus speaking in terms of absolutes, especially absolute limits, constricts the growth development of our physiological organism.

Because changing conditions are inevitable; I figure that maintaining an active mental flexibility, and not being so attached to methods or doctrines; will increase our enjoyment of every turn in the road. This will naturally increase the probabilities of outcomes in our favor.

Angel Armendariz

Ignore Words and Strategy...& Win?

Ignore Words and Strategy - and Win
Category: Jobs, Work, Careers

In 2005, in experiments conducted jointly w/ Jared Curhan of MIT Sloan School of Management, researchers from the human Dynamic Group asked MBA students to take part in simulated face-to-face negotiations. One student played a middle manager taking a job in a new division, & the other the V.P. of that division. They were asked to negotiate the manager's salary package, with real monetary rewards at stake for the participants. The negotiations often lasted an hour or more. Yet in just five minutes, an electronic sensor could predict w/ 87% accuracy, which person would come out on top, merely by cuing in to bodily movements and manner of speech, ignoring words and strategy.

As the sensor data revealed, successful middle managers tended to be strong on "mirroring" behavior - unconscious mimicking of the gestures and movements of their conversational partners. This demonstrated empathy and understanding. In contrast the most successful vice presidents tended to talk more and control the pace of the conversation, a social behavior that the researchers referred to as "engagement." For both participants, a consistent emphatic tone, conveying confidence, was also critical.

- from "Strategy + Business Magazine" - September 07

Interesting experiment. Amazing that in just 5 minutes 87% accuracy could be reached as to who would come out on top. I've written about "mirroring" before on my blogs and in my book. The non-verbal factors of influence are amazingly powerful. Body language, tonality, and patterns have more power in general than actual content of what is being said. How often is one exposed to such teaching? I have yet to read a sales book that emphasizes non-verbal communication. Or psychology, communication, or speech book for that matter.

The closest literature approaching accurate training on using body language, tonality, etc. for influence would have to be NLP works by Bandler and Grinder. Although, acting books contain a wealth of information on these powerful forms of communication as well. A sales person might be better of taking acting lessons, than formal sales training.

Angel Armendariz

How is Dormant Potential Awakened

How is Dormant Potential Awakened?
Category: Goals, Plans, Hopes

Arthur Koestler in his Ghost in the Machine surveys what he calls the "draw-back-to-leap" pattern or undoing and re-doing. It involves the pattern seen in evolutionary studies when organisms reach a "block" in specialization and continued evolution. This "block" is referred to as specialization in evolutionary biology, and it basically refers to an organism that is one dimensional; can only function and survive effectively in a limited environment and being able to adapt only to its natural environment because of limited function.

The human equivalent would be the rigid person who only knows one way of being, and doing...knows how to do only one job, can only relate to one personality type, one-way of communication. As far as survival value, whether we're talking about sports, school, or work, or life in general; being flexible, multi-dimensional, and having the ability to adjust to your environment lends itself to more alternatives, and puts you in a better position to succeed. Now this "draw-back-to-leap" pattern that Koestler suggests, is inherent in the evolutionary structure. Koestler explains:

"The essence of the process which I have described is an evolutionary retreat from specialized adult forms of bodily structure and behaviour, to an earlier or more primitive stage- followed by a sudden advance in a new direction. It is as if the stream of life had momentarily reversed its course, flowing uphill for a while, then opened up a new stream-bed. I shall try to show that this reculer pour mieux sauter-of drawing back to leap, of undoing and re-doing - is a favourite gambit in the grand strategy of the evolutionary process; and that it also plays an important part in the progress of science and art."

The essential point gathered by the preceding information is that progress - mental or otherwise is not linear. Periods of elaboration followed by consolidation, acceleration followed by adaptation, breaking down to be build back up, and in Koestler's assertions draw back to leap - exemplify the many forms of explanation given to this natural template's form of function. The ac/ad template seeks to command power and effectiveness - it functions to create a more adaptable, and complex holon.

It awakens dormant processes mentally, physically, and even spiritually (ever hear of "dark night of the soul" - relate this to Koestler's draw back to leap principle), that would otherwise remain dormant in a persons habitual mode of being. The inactive person not only forsakes their dormant abilities, but atrophies current abilities by not conditioning these faculties to any form of use or exercise. The essential variable to putting into use the ac/ad template is a challenge, a change, obstacle, or goal. Using these variables we activate the ac/ad template.
Koestler suggests the following:

" The alternative possibility of reacting to a critical challenge is regenerative in a broad sense; it involves major reorganizations of structure and behaviour, which result in biological or mental progress. I shall try to show that both are based on the same draw back to leap pattern, activating creative potentials which are dormant or inhibited in the normal routines of existence."

Angel Armendariz

Your Brain Might Be Falling Apart

According to Neurologists there are three main factors that contribute to neuroplasticity. This is the ability of the brain to reorganize itself, adapt, and grow. Neurogenesis (a form of neuroplasticity), explains Ernest Rossi is activated through novelty, environmental enrichment, and physical exercise. In his landmark book The Psychobiology of Gene Expression, Dr. Rossi attributes this adaptability to the action of genetic mechanisms, termed activity-dependent gene expression. Thus by taking in a hefty dose of these three brain growth elixirs we become more mentally capable, more healthy, and in a more harmonious state.


Novelty involves new information, or learning. New information is the very substance of all growth and development. Whether we're talking about innovation in business, governmental reform, or personal development; new information yields growth, learning, and possibilities. The deluge of information disposable to the average person on earth today in general is astounding. Never before has information been so disposable. Information is the most valuable commodity in existence; its return on investment is staggering. And rightly so; not only do we use information to grow and to gain knowledge consciously, but all organic life is dependent on information for existence. What is the opposite of information increase?

Entropy...remember that from biology class, it has to do with the breakdown, decay, of systems; the weary second law of thermodynamics that dooms all matter to death by loss of information and energy. Eminent biophysicist Werner Lowenstein, in his work The Touchstone of Life, poignantly explains how to battle the malaise of time's arrow, "There is only one way to keep a system from sinking to equilibrium: to infuse new information...Thus, to maintain its high order, an organism must continuously pump in information."

So we thus have a clearer understanding of the need and tremendous benefits of novelty through information. We also tend to see more insights and knowledge from fields such as physics and biology. Which give us incredible models of efficacy. We tend to see a pattern though, or a lag time between the time we discover an insightful method in the working of nature and the universe, and the time we see the same pattern arise while studying ourselves, our business, economy, and other sociological systems.

It might make more sense to study the ways nature has developed schemes to deal with progressive existence, as opposed to studying the subject within itself; and closely mimic, or devise models that cultivate the insights gathered by such inspection. In a recent interview with the Harvard Business Review, economist and business consultant Paul Ormerod compares business strategy with evolution, he says, " Companies should embrace the inherent randomness that drives success and failure...The companies that are most able to explore and innovate - something akin to random mutation - and then rapidly and flexibly adapt when an innovation succeeds or fails, will do best."(italics added).

To "explore" and "innovate" is precisely what novelty is about. So by directly participating in neurogenesis by learning, creativity, or gathering new information you are putting yourself in a better position to succeed in business, and life overall.

excerpt, Untitled, by
Angel Armendariz

Using Your Zoom Function For Success

How Do You Use The Zoom Function?
Category: Goals, Plans, Hopes

The theme of seeing both the part and the whole runs the gamut of this manifesto. Holons as discussed previously, again referring to a thing being both a whole and a part allow efficient analysis of processes that are important to us. A second point in the thought process of efficacy is what can be referred to as zooming in and zooming out.

Zoom out to see the big picture, the forest, the future, or the goals; and zoom in to see the pieces, the steps, the details, the rectangles, to master the manifestations of your hearts content. To cultivate the ability to zoom in and out of scenes in your life is a basic necessity to establish proportion in your life and assimilate circumstances in the grandeur scope of things.

Many times we fail to include information in a particular circumstance in our lives because we fail to zoom out and see the big picture. We are at times so stuck on seemingly endless details that we take those for the whole of our lives and of our mock reality. I'm reminded of a Persian saying that goes " I cried because I had no shoes...until I saw somebody that had no feet." I've seen people with minor problems, especially financially, focus intently on those results, make a morbid picture, slump their postures, make their breathing shallow, and imagine these results producing even greater turmoil.

What do you think this does to your ability to act effectively? What kind of messages is your nervous system receiving? This creation of an imagined hell is manifested immediately, and you feel the effects throughout your body sometimes to cause your own pathologies; this additionally coagulates any mental abilities. Under such imagined danger you body instinctively shuts down cognitive operation, and you by this means create your own sabotage. This amazing display of what your mind is capable when you focus on something is an example of the degree of power disposable to you to effect yourself and circumstances...although this is clearly a negative use of such power.

In a scenario that produces an undesired outcome leaders have acquired the ability to use the zoom out function in some form and overcome obstacles. If you focus on a small piece, and have no awareness of any remedy or alternative, you've achieved learned helplessness. When an individual isn't able to "see" a positive alternative it creates an incredibly powerful effect of dissonance. Because of the fact that problems are incredibly beneficial to us, as you will see in the chapter on Artificial Problems, it becomes essential to be able to use the zooming out ability to grasp a more empowering reality. This can lead us to seize opportunities and use problems to our advantage.

One way of applying the zoom out function is to see your life in a timeline fashion...see the many obstacles you've overcome...see what valuable lessons you learned that you would have otherwise failed to acknowledge had it not been for a particular tragedy. The timeline or capitulation method allows you to see, feel, and hear how time flows...you're able to witness, at a very personal level the ebb and flow of life, the cyclic format of existence, the seasons of your ascension in life; and put things in "perspective" this exercise will free a lot of dissonant energy....you re-experince the reality that change is inevitable, and thank god it is that way. This is one form of zooming out of your current situation and seeing a larger perspective.

The goal of the visual zoom out function is two fold. To put yourself in a more resourceful state of mind, and secondly to have a visual display of pertinent information to allow you to see more empowering alternatives. In The Power of Impossible Thinking, by Yoram (Jerry) Wind, Colin Crook, and Robert Gunther, the authors, allude to zooming in and zooming out as a creative function that is used in progressive organizations to enhance their mental models. An example of this in business is related by the authors; a simultaneous method of zooming in and out is used in what is called "Extreme Programming" or (XP) and is used by such companies as Ford Motor Company, Daimler Chrysler, and UBS...

"The key is the definition of tasks for each programmer. One person, the "driver," is zoomed in on the details of the development of the code, while the other, the "navigator," is zoomed out, looking at the big picture as the programming is moving forward. This helps avoid the problems of well-written code that misses the bigger picture or becomes detached from user needs."

This is an example of using this ability to create more empowering alternatives...in the (XP) case more empowering software through enhanced code, using the simultaneous zoom in, zoom out with a partner.

" There is a law in psychology that if you form a picture in your mind of what you would like to be, and you keep and hold that picture there long enough, you will soon become exactly as you have been thinking." - William James

- Excerpt, Untitled, by Angel Armendariz

Gratification from Performance

Gratification from Performance
Category: Goals, Plans, Hopes

"Precisely under conditions of reduction of tensions and gratifications of biological needs, novel forms of mental disorder appeared as existential neurosis, malignant boredom, and retirement neurosis, i.e., forms of mental dysfunction originating, not from repressed drives, from unfulfilled needs, or from stress, but from the meaninglessness of life." - Ludwig von Bertalanffy (General Systems Theory pioneer)

The quote above caught my attention the other day. The reason being is that I have frequently ran across people who have a mild case of what Ludwig is talking about. Especially "malignant boredom," and the meaninglessness of life.

Boredom can be, I believe, a symptom of life having a lack of meaning for someone. Additionally it can be a lack of self-esteem. Let me explain. When life has a meaning, or grandeur purposes beyond the current state; then a person's actions are usually in sync with what those grandeur purposes are. If there is no grandeur purpose; then there is no motivation to act towards something, hence boredom results.

Self-Esteem, creeps its head into the boredom picture when there is a lack of it. A lack of value for oneself, self-esteem, means that a person feels and sees themselves as unworthy of a more fruitful existence or future. Thus, if one feels unworthy, one will not have a belief in a grandeur picture; and if there is no belief there will be no action to grow and move towards a meaningful state of being.

Tensions in life are beneficial. For example, fitness is based on "tearing down" the body so as to allow the body to compensate and build itself stronger. Thus, no "tearing down" = no growth or fitness. To paraphrase Nietzsche - the feeling of power is what is felt when one overcomes some resistance. In a sense the function, action, or performance itself "is" the pleasure we seek as we grow.

Angel Armendariz