motivateyourself.net

One of the most amazing things we got to see during our two weeks in Hawaii was an active volcano erupting into the Pacific Ocean. The video is quite poor, but the experience was once in a lifetime–unless we return to a volcanic area and see it erupt as well…then it will be a TWICE in a lifetime experience! For now though…just once. Enjoy!

So I’ve got tons of video and pictures from beautiful Hawaii where we spent 2 weeks NOT relaxing but exploring. I made a few videos specific for my Blog and Facebook Fan Page and I’ll be posting them in the weeks to come. This first one takes place in Maui on top of the Haleakala Crater. We were up at 2:15 am to travel to the top some 10,000 feet above sea level and got to watch a slow and steady sun rise over the clouds. Enjoy the video and the quite poor audio!

I’ve commented before about the sad state of dance that I see at school dances and conferences. Here’s how it’s done kids!

This summer, I finally got hitched!! With the wedding came the need for a different kind of speech. Here’s part 2 for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

Hey everyone…I’m in the middle of a 10 day swing through Montana, Nevada, Illinois and North Carolina. Here in Las Vegas, if you haven’t been, it’s a fascinating culture. You see the best and the worst that humanity has to offer. The richest of the rich and the poorest of the poor.

Las Vegas is a people watcher’s fantasy and a germophobe and anti-smoker’s worst satanic nightmare. (I fall under the category of all 3.) I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many people sneeze and cough in their hands, then grab a door handle or their poker chips and cards…all 3 of which I inevitably must touch. FILTHY! Ladies and germs, please take note…you can sneeze and cough into your sleeve or a kleenex and not directly into your hand. It’s new, it’s hip…try it!

While here, I’m staying at Excalibur and I took a video of my room with some idea of how I live on the road. See you all from Illinois tomorrow!

Talking about my speech for the State Student Council Conference in Sotuh Carolina and how to tweak a speech to maximize its impact.

I don’t think anyone looked at me funny, but who knows? I am on my way down to keynote the State Student Council Conference in South Carolina!

The longest speaking trip I’ve ever had was 3 years ago when I spent 21 days in Alberta and Montana doing 28 speeches and 9 workshops over that time. Looking back, I just can’t even fathom spending 3 full weeks on the road. I just got back from 10 days in Oregon, Wisconsin, Maryland and West Virginia and that was enough to make me feel ready to pass out for a month.

All in all, I have to say that this trip was probably the most successful lengthy trip I’ve ever had. Sure I had the usual problems that come up on a trip of this length…lost luggage the first night; 2nd trip my luggage was opened by United Airlines and my new fav. shirt was ruined by rain; etc., etc. But overall, it was terrific! I had exceptional audiences at each stop.

The only slightly disappointing audience was at Kent Island High School in Maryland. This was my 3rd year in a row speaking for their school. They were quiet, though very attentive. Don’t get me wrong, if they’re the worst audience I have over 10 days, then I’m doing something right and I am VERY happy with how things are going. It’s just that when you return to a school year after year you want to be constantly getting better. It was like an experience I had this August when I returned to Orchard Park Secondary School in Stoney Creek, Ontario. I had spoken there last year for their grade 9 Orientation and they brought me back again this year. Following my speech, the Principal came up and said to me, “last year you were good. This year you were GREAT. Polished and professional. We’ll see you next year.” It’s THAT type of response you achieve to see each year. Where the bar is raised. But I digresse…

The student response following the speech was much higher than it’s been in recent years. I changed to a different business card with my Facebook, MySpace and Twitter contacts on it and that really seems to have helped boost student feedback after shows. I heard back from dozens at each spot along the way culminating in the big finish at the West Virginia Association of Student Councils’ State Conference.

This was my 3rd State Conference in the last 11 months as I had previously keynoted the SADD and RAZE-ON (tobacco prevention) Conferences in West Virgnia. Amazingly there was only 1 student in a crowd of 250+ that had heard me at the other conferences. The students were fantastic. I had a chance to work with them over the coruse of 3 days through my speech and some workshops and it was great to see some of them soaking in the student council information and asking me about application principles for their events. Again, if I could work with these type of students every day for the next 20 years, life would be a breeze! Great students and I’m looking forward to returning to some West Virginia schools in February when I’m in Maryland for the State Student Council Conference.

A couple of final observations from the road:
1) I was forced to eat a bit more fast food than I wanted due to airport travel, but with the packing of some flax seed bagels and peanut butter, I managed to return from my trip with ZERO pounds gained!

2) At the WVASC Conference I realized how big of a crutch cell phones are. I still use a cell from 2002 with zero pictures, poor texting and internet capabilities so perhaps I just don’t understand the addiction. But playing the bad guy, if I were running a Conference, I would confiscate the cell phones for 3 days. Students (and staff) use it as a crutch. It distracts from sessions and takes away from their ability to connect to students AT the Conference. Will there be an uproar? I would expect the pitchforks to be out in full #’s, but would it be a worthwhile experiment? I believe so. As I say in my workshops…”until you try it once, you can’t tell me it won’t work.”

My first big trip of the 2009-2010 school year took place over the past week with a trip down to Texas and New Mexico. I had been highly anticipating my speech in Texas because it was going to be my 2nd time working with the Texas Association of Student Councils and my first speech in my 10 year career that was geared exclusively to adults/staff advisors. The event was the TASC Annual Student Council and Honor Society Advisors Workshop and with over 400 potential contacts in the room this was about the biggest opportunity I had had since speaking for the National Student Council Conference in Kansas in 2007.

On the Saturday I had a booth set up where I got to mingle with the staff members and chat them up about my workshops, speeches, etc. but then had to back it up with my workshop. I was given a room that held about 70 people and I was blown away by the response, because by the time I began we were well past standing-room only and people had to watch from outside the room. We were breaking fire codes people…and LOVING it!

When the workshop ended, I couldn’t believe the response. Within about 2 hours, I had legitimate offers to come back to Texas 3 times before the end of 2009! One on October 17 for a District Student Council Conference in Dallas, one in San Antonio November 13 and the other for a District Conference in Corpus Christi December 5. It certainly looks like this Canadian will be getting some Texas sun before the year is done!