Nikolas Allen Art » Betterment

Kicking The Habit: Coffee

nikolas — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 21:45:29 +0000

For the past 20 years, my morning ritual has revolved around the coffee machine. Anticipating “Coffee Time” made me happy to jump out of bed and start my day.

The high-pitched “whirrrr!” of the grinder, the aroma of freshly ground beans, waiting impatiently for the carafe to fill up enough to put the brilliant pause-and-serve function to use.

Every morning, I attempted to create the perfect cup of French Roast with just the right proportions of soy creamer and agave nectar. Dark, bold, rich, slightly sweet…delicious.

So, it was quite a surprise to me when I walked to the kitchen one early March morn, stared glumly at the coffee machine and announced, “I quit.”

“What!?!”, screamed the little part of my brain that needs its daily dose of caffeine in order to send proper, functional signals to the rest of the body, “But why?!?”

I that moment, I couldn’t quite articulate why. It was just an instinctual feeling that I had. The body is very good about letting us know when something is not right for us, or is no longer serving us.

The challenge lies in actually listening to those messages and taking action. No matter how much you love something, if it doesn’t serve your well-being, it needs to go.

I drank alcohol for 16 years before giving it up for good. I was a chronic pot-head for 20 years before finally putting that to rest. I also endured a short stint with cigarettes, before realizing they just weren’t for me.

While the negative effects of caffeine aren’t nearly as damaging as those addictions, it started to feel like just that: An addiction.

It felt like a crutch that I needed to prop myself up on every day. At home, that meant drinking three cups before I left the house. When traveling, or on the road, it meant knowing where every Starbucks was located within a 100-mile radius and hitting at least two coming and going.

I often have a hard time with the transition from winter to spring. This year, I was feeling especially sluggish, irritable and unmotivated. I determined that I needed a change, a Spring Detox, and coffee would be the first casualty.

So, I went cold-turkey and boy, was my brain pissed. For four days straight, my head felt like a log beneath the axe of a burly lumberjack.

Flashbacks of the debilitating hangovers from my drinking days came rushing back as I painfully stumbled and bumbled through the first week in a disoriented fog. If I felt sluggish, irritable and unmotivated before I quit, these same feelings were tenfold after quitting.

I managed to survive that first hellacious week and the next couple got progressively easier to go without. Then I started to feel downright GOOD in the mornings. I was off the mood-swing roller coaster of caffeine and felt a far more even level of energy.

Protein shakes have become my placebo. A freshly blended mix of fruit, rice milk, nuts, seeds, flax and protein powder feels much more filling and nutritious. I even drink them out of a coffee cup as an homage to my recently departed friend, Joe.

My Spring Detox regimen also includes less carbs, more fruits and veggies, increased exercise and plenty of fresh, clean water.

For the occasional treat, I allow myself a chai soy latte, which has about a third less caffeine than coffee. However, I don’t want that to simply replace my coffee addiction, so I drink them sparingly.

So, what do I look for when I’m traveling, or on the go?

Well, let’s just say that now, instead of Starbucks, I know where every water fountain is within a 100-mile radius.

No, it’s not nearly as fun as the triple-latte experience of yore, but it’s a lot easier on the wallet and a much better indulgence on my continual path to optimal health.

******
YOUR TURN:
Have you kicked any of your habits recently? Was it a choice or a necessity? How does it feel?

Are Goals Necessary?

nikolas — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 06:36:06 +0000

As 2009 came to a close, the familiar excitement of the New Year started to well up. It’s always enjoyable to consider the myriad possibilities offered by a clean calendar slate as we plan an ambitious slew of new resolutions and goals.

However, by the time the ball dropped in Times Square, I still hadn’t taken the time to ponder, plan and write down my dreams and desires for 2010.

I had been sick with the flu for a couple weeks, so that was partially to blame for sapping my energy and enthusiasm. But there seemed to be more to it.

I was feeling a bit of a crisis of faith. Faith in my own ability to alter the outcomes and events of my life, no matter how much I plan, strive and visualize.

When I moved to California eighteen months ago I had plenty of Big Plans. Since then, I’ve been on one big, crazy, challenging, unpredictable, exciting ride.

But for most of it I have felt more like the passenger than the driver. And along the way, those Big Plans were squashed dead like unsuspecting bugs on the windshield of Life.

Sure, there have been several other positive events and successes along the way to replace the dead bugs. But, when I think about it, they seem to have been a result of my taking decisive action when the opportunities presented themselves, rather than me plotting and planning far in advance.

As for the failures and disappointments? Well, those obviously happened despite my best efforts at planning and goal-setting.

I wanted to write a blog post on Setting Goals to kick off the New Year, but I couldn’t even muster the enthusiasm to ideate my own goals. Therefore, how – in good conscience – could I advise my readers to do it for themselves?

Then I started reading the newsletters, blog posts and RSS feeds from the people I follow. Most of them were writing about setting goals, visualizing the year ahead, planning strategies for success, yada, yada, yada…

They all started to sound the same. Perhaps I was feeling bitter ‘cuz I never got around to my own setting, visualizing and planning. Perhaps I was starting to realize that my Goal Sheets look the same every year and I was beginning to question their validity.

Cuz’, let’s face it, no matter how many times I’ve listed that “white Toyota RAV4 L Sport Edition”, it STILL hasn’t shown up in my driveway.

On the other hand, the “New Relationship with Sassy Female Artist in my Age Bracket with Similar Interests and Values”?

Waaay better than a RAV4.

She showed up in October. Out of the blue, when I least expected.

Had she been on my Wish List? Mos def.

Can I take credit for the realization of that goal? Well, aside from being a superdope rockstar artist with mad steeze, not really.

It was merely a matter of right place, right time. Perhaps that’s when the RAV4 will show up, too.

In fact, perhaps that’s when ALL my goals and dreams will be realized. Exactly when they are meant to be. Regardless of my goal setting, list making, visualizing, chasing, scheming and striving.

Maybe my belated New Year’s resolution will be this: Aspire to be more like the heron.

“The heron knows a lucid stillness. It stands unmoving in the flow of the water for hours. When Tao brings it something that it needs, it seizes the opportunity without hesitation. Then it goes back to its serene, contemplative state.

Unless it found the right position in the water’s flow and remained patient, it would not have succeeded.

Actions in life can be reduced to two factors: positioning and timing. Almost anything is appropriate if an action is in accord with the time and the place. When life presents an opportunity, we must be ready to seize it without hesitation or inhibition.”

Deng Ming-Dao, 365 Tao – Daily Meditations

Not quite a heron but you get the picture.

I’m a pretty ambitious person, so it may be difficult to take a more mindful, zen-like approach to my goals this year.

I’m also pretty spontaneous, so I may wake up tomorrow, wonder what the heck I was thinkin’ when I wrote this post, then commence to some serious goal-settin’.

But, as long as I have the CHOICE and the POWER to make plans, to take action, to make decisions AND to change my mind at will along the way, I’ll be happy.

At least these things give me the illusion that I do have SOME control over the outcomes in my life. Even if I’m not in the driver’s seat, at least my arm can still reach the wheel from the passenger seat just in case the Big Guy needs a little help steering once in awhile.

*****************************
YOUR TURN:
I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions on making New Year’s resolutions (and their success rate) and the importance of setting goals as it applies to YOUR life.

The Elevator Speech

nikolas — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:28:52 +0000

One of the most frequent questions you will be asked over the course of your life and professional career is:

“So, what do you do?”

For many of us, this can be quite difficult to answer because we juggle a variety of responsibilities, jobs and hobbies.

Or, sometimes the thing we “do” that puts food on our table, is not the thing we “do” to express ourselves and make our entire beings come alive with excitement.

But, there is nothing worse that suffering through someone’s long-winded, rambling, unfocused explanation as they stutter and stammer through the laundry list of their job description and responsibilities.

That is why it is important to develop an Elevator Speech. This is a concise explanation of who you are and what you do.

The concept of an Elevator Speech is that your summary is short enough to finish in the time it takes an elevator to get between floors.

The Elevator Speech is often used in networking and social events, where you need to quickly summarize your unique talents and interests.

It’s important that your Speech is casual, easy to understand, and not too tech-y or overly stuffed with biz-jargon.

For those of you multi-hyphenates who have several areas of interest (i.e. Musician-Artist-Filmmaker), don’t overwhelm people with everything at once.

Focus on the one area that most applies to the person asking. Dole out the additional info only as needed.

It’s also important to gauge the actual interest of the person asking.

Is it a rhetorical question?
Stick to the basics.

Is it someone you need to impress?
Focus on your passions, unique skills and accomplishments (and be sure to slide them a business card so they can reach you if they need to).

Are their eyes glazing over from disinterest?
Either change the topic or move on.

I had a woman approach me at a restaurant, who had seen my picture in the paper from a recent art opening.

She asked, “What kind of art do you do, are you a painter?”

I replied, “No, I’m a digital pop artist. I’m also passionate about branding and marketing and I enjoy helping other artists create and market their own personal brand.”

Her blank expression indicated that I was speaking a foreign language.

So, I slid her a business card, said she could visit my website to learn more, and moved on.

In some occasions, there’s just no point in wasting time with explanations. If that’s the case, feel free to step off the elevator.

*******
It should be noted that the Elevator Speech is the younger sibling to the Elevator Pitch.

The Elevator Pitch is different in that it’s a two-minute presentation geared towards selling your product or company idea to an investor.

If you’re ready to shmooze investors, this 2-minute video fully describes the anatomy of an effective Elevator Pitch.

***
YOUR TURN:
So, what do YOU do?

Exceed Expectations

nikolas — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 05:21:37 +0000

Most people don’t like surprises. They like to know what they can expect.

When people’s expectations are met, they are Happy.

When expectations are not met, they are Disappointed.

People support brands that meet their expectations.

That’s why they will pay 89¢ for something that resembles food at Taco Bell.

That’s also why they’ll pay $89,000 for the dependable luxury of a Mercedes.

The funny thing is: When expectations are surpassed, people are Astonished.

We have settled into such a glut of mediocrity, that the act of exceeding expectations shakes people from their slumber into a state of excitement and disbelief.

That is why you must exceed expectations at every opportunity.

It’s easy to be mediocre. Especially when there is no apparent threat or consequence for simply towing the line.

Some people even deliver a LESS than mediocre performance consistently and they manage to fly under the radar…for awhile.

I worked with a Copywriter at an in-house agency and he used to joke, “they haven’t discovered I’m a fraud, yet”.

At least, I thought he was joking.

Guess who was let go when the first round of cutbacks were announced?

Exceeding expectations gets you noticed. It gets you hired. It KEEPS you hired. It gets you return business and it gets you referrals.

Plus, there’s a personal satisfaction to knowing that you strive to rise above the pack of mediocrity.

There is too much competition out there to simply meet expectations.

Exceed, surpass and defy them instead.

******
YOUR TURN:
My blog posts are usually pretty verbose, so I tried to make this one shorter. Therefore, I have left out some ideas, points and counterpoints.

Anything you would like to add? Success stories you would like to share from a time when you exceeded expectations? Have any companies, people or products astonished YOU lately? Ever stopped supporting a brand or business because they failed to meet YOUR expectations?

Mktng: 3 Essential Rules

nikolas — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 03:47:57 +0000

In the Golden Age of Advertising, the popular maxim was to “Sell the sizzle, not the steak”.

The Golden Age is dead. These days, it’s all about the steak.

In today’s crowded marketplace, customers are seeking real solutions, convenience and value. They are seeking authentic brands from people and companies built on integrity and transparency.

As fewer large corporations are truly able to offer these attributes, the playing field is open for creative entrepreneurs and small businesses to connect and succeed with large segments of the population.

Keep these Three Essential Marketing Tips in mind when targeting your audience:

1) It’s Not About YOU, It’s About THEM – This is the single most important rule that I have learned in my sixteen years in Advertising.

Oddly enough, this rule truly dawned on me just this year! There’s nothing like a recession to force entrepreneurs to find new ways of convincing people to spend money on Products and Services (P/S).

Most of us, myself included, have spent so much time touting the BENEFITS of our offerings, that we’ve virtually ignored the VALUES of our customers. This is a mistake.

Marketing is about identifying the customer’s problem (values, needs, desires) and solving it with your solution (product, service, message).

When you know the values of your customer, you can speak to customers in a way that aligns your P/S with their values and craft your solution in a way that directly solves their problem.

This is even more effective if your P/S has a strong Point of Difference (that which sets you apart from your competition).

***
2) Be Authentic – When solving your customer’s problems, make sure you’re being honest, and not just telling them what they want to hear.

There’s a rising eco-consciousness among consumers and, as a result, a lot of companies are resorting to “green-washing”. That is touting the “green” or “ecological” benefits of their products that are either insignificant or not entirely true.

Swiss company, SIGG, makers of those handsome aluminum water bottles with hip graphics, has come under fire recently. It seems the liners in their bottles contain trace amounts of BPA (bisphenol A), a hazardous chemical that can leach into the contents of the bottle and cause serious health problems.

Apparently the company has known this for a couple years and chose not to disclose it to their consumers! When the news broke, the CEO offerered a half-baked apology and claims the company, “never marketed the bottles as BPA-free”.

This is an especially lame excuse considering their entire brand is positioned as being an earth-friendly alternative to plastic bottles (many of which also contain BPA).

This is a major blow to the authenticity of their brand and my guess is that the company is going to suffer severely for it.

Apparently, SIGG is now offering exchanges on the tainted bottles (although there is NO mention whatsoever of the recent scandal or their reaction to it on their website), but that is too little, too late, and it will be very difficult for the company to regain the trust of consumers. When it comes to crisis management, SIGG SUXX!

On a positive note, there is now an opportunity for a more authentic company to increase their market share by reaching out to the disillusioned customers who are abandoning the SIGG brand in droves.

***
3) Explore New Channels – If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten. As economies fluctuate, buying trends change and technology advances, it’s important for you to adapt and adjust.

There is massive hype surrounding social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. All of these platforms can definitely be useful in reaching out to your audience, but they should also just be considered as another tool in your arsenal.

A big question on many people’s mind right now is, “Should I be using these platforms for my business?”

The answer, in a word, is YES.

You can probably find several justifiable excuses why NOT to add a social media element to your marketing (large time investment, little returns, hard to gauge effectiveness), but this is not just a fad that will go away if you ignore it.

If you don’t jump in now, while the social media landscape is still being developed, the learning curve will only get steeper.

However, there is a certain etiquette required in using these platforms for business. Simply treating these new marketing tools (interactive, engaging, personal, dialogue) as updated versions of the old ones (impersonal, static, monologue) will be as effective as using a feather duster when you need a hammer.

Keep Essential Tip #1 in mind when using social media to make sure you are SHARING WITH your audience instead of TALKING AT them. Use your tweets and profile updates to educate, enlighten and entertain.

Share knowledge, tips, tricks, tutorials, links and items of interest to establish your brand as an important SOURCE of trustworthy and desirable information.

Social networking offers new avenues to connect with your audience, but don’t expect your sales or profits to increase overnight. Exploring these new channels should be viewed as a long-term strategy in building relationships, which will only enhance the opportunity for success from your future marketing efforts.

Of course, there are many marketing tips, tricks and rules to utilize to engage the marketplace – and we’ll be discussing plenty more in the future. These are just three that have seemed especially relevant lately.

******
YOUR TURN:
Do you have any Marketing tips that have worked well for you recently? Have you been astounded by the sheer lack of authenticity in any particular company lately? Any social media success stories out there?

When To Walk Away

nikolas — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 17:06:36 +0000

Kenny Rogers said it best. “You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em, and know when to fold ‘em.” There are several areas in life when it is important to know when to walk away.

I don’t advocate bailing out at the first sign of pressure, boredom or conflict. Life is chock full of all these things. But it’s important to know your objectives, goals and limits in any situation, then honor them when it feels the time is truly right to do so.

Let’s examine a few areas where walking away may be appropriate:

1) BUSINESS – As a long-time freelance Advertising Design Specialist, I’ll be the first to admit that I have a hard time turning work away. It’s often feast or famine for freelancers, and the next job is almost always welcome, especially in this economy.

However, sometimes taking on everything that comes up just compounds stress, creating an unhealthy life-work balance which is important to maintain for optimal wellness.

A recent opportunity came up for me to do a large volume of ongoing Photoshop work. The client had big ideas and an interesting product but he also seemed a little bit…well, nutty.

I suspected I would have trouble getting paid on time, not to mention that the payment-per-image he was offering was well below my comfortable work rate.

Initially, I was excited about the opportunity. Then I crunched the numbers, considered the commitment, honored my intuition and turned down the gig.

I walked away.

This can also apply to company employees. How many of you have jobs that may have offered exciting challenge and opportunity at one time, but have since become an exercise in routine boredom and mechanical motions?

Now is the time to reboot your resume and power up your networking. Sure, the economy is currently wheezing along, but it WILL pick up steam.

The question is: when the economy does open up, will you be poised to take advantage of it and leverage your skills, experience and enthusiasm into a challenging new position? Or not?

2) ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS - How many things do you partake in that do not truly serve your well-being?

For almost half my life, I was on the nonstop party bus. Like many Americans, I was lost in a smoky haze of cigarettes, drugs, and alcohol and stuffing my face with garbage like McDonald’s, Doritos and Mountain Dew.

Nowadays, I’m a straight-edge vegan into fitness and yoga whose idea of a great Friday night is hanging out at the gym.

How did I make the change? First, I realized that all the garbage I was poisoning my body and mind with no longer served me. Then, I targeted the offending toxins one-by-one and summoned the strength to walk away from each.

It wasn’t easy. In fact, it was hellacious. I was terrified of having to face reality without the comfortable crutch of my weed-addled perspective.

But a healthy lifestyle is far more rewarding than the false illusions and damaging effects of our toxic, guilty pleasures.

YOUR TURN:
What habit would you like to walk away from? Can you do it yourself, or do you need the help of a outside program? Who can you rally for your support team? What action steps can you take this week toward your new goals?

3) RELATIONSHIPS – I don’t know what has been more difficult, giving up toxic chemicals or toxic people! I’ve done both and neither is easy.

Life is all about growth and evolution. Whether we realize it or not, we are drawn to people in our lives who will aid us in our growth. There are many lessons in every relationship we have, be it platonic, romantic or familial.

Oddly enough, the most challenging relations offer the most opportunity for growth. However, there comes a point when you must ask, “How much is too much?”

A little friction is natural. Even conflict can be healthy. Expressed in a way that is not merely ego-based machismo or arrogant ignorance, conflict allows us to communicate our truths, express our beliefs and, hopefully, realize that there are other points-of-view besides our own to be considered.

However, when friction and conflict cross the line into abuse, it is time to walk away.

Whether it’s mental, emotional or physical, there is no lesson or amount of growth that is worthy of enduring abuse.

In other cases, relationships simply run their course. We are all on our own individual paths. Occasionally, we’ll connect with others who are at a similar place on their journeys and we will move forward together. Learning, sharing, teaching, growing and connecting with friends and loved ones can offer the most rewarding gifts available.

Over time, it may become apparent that growth is occurring at different paces. Values and goals may be changing and relationships that were once inspiring, exciting and educational become stagnant, draining and frustrating.

That may be an opportune time for reflection, assessment and discussion. Just as our paths converge with a wealth of people throughout our lifetimes, they also diverge with many of those same people.

There’s usually a fear-based reaction to walking away from people, habits and responsibilities. This often prevents us from doing so – even if it’s clearly in our best interest. That is your Survival Mechanism, which thrives on comfort and security, warning you not to “rock the boat”.

But, looking back at the history of your life, I’m willing to bet that every time you made the conscious decision and effort to walk away from something that no longer served you, something better came along in due time.

By relying more on your evolved, intuitive self instead of your fear-based, rational mind, your intuition becomes more acute, thus becoming easier to know when something isn’t serving you.

This trust gives you the courage to take action when it’s time to walk away.

YOUR TURN:
Is there anyone is your life right now who feels “toxic” to your well-being? Can you accept them for who they are, knowing that they are on their own path of growth? Or, is it necessary to diverge paths? What would it take to be able to walk away without leaving a messy aftermath? What plans and action steps can you take to move toward that reality?

5 Tips: Creative Inspiration

nikolas — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 22:42:26 +0000

A creative idea is similar to a baby bird in that it needs to be nurtured, fed and protected until it is finally able to take flight and soar into the world on its own.

Sometimes, however, an idea seems more like road kill. As in, it ain’t goin’ anywhere!

The following tips may help you catch your next gust of creative inspiration and soar with the sparrows.

1) Visit Your Favorite Place – I love San Francisco. I live five hours north of there, so I only visit every few months. But, every time I do, I practically explode with new ideas and inspiration. When I can’t head to the city, I head for the hills. Mt. Shasta has incredible natural surroundings. My favorite place is Castle Lake, a pristine oasis in the mountains. I visit there every couple weeks and am invigorated, recharged and inspired.

Where’s your favorite place? It might even be in your own home. All you need is a closet, a corner, or a nook where you can relax, unwind and…

2) Tune In – There exists a philosophy suggesting that every idea is already out there, floating in the ethers, and all you have to do is tune in to the proper frequency to become the vehicle through which these ideas manifest. For some people that means meditation. A regular practice of tuning out the chatter and static of everyday life brings you closer to the stillness where the spark of a new idea or the solution to a creative problem may reside.

For the less mystically inclined, it could mean brainstorming. When I’m creating, I like to play the “What if?” game: “What if the song changes keys during the chorus?” “What if this scene takes place in a hospital instead of a church?” “What if I paint the sky pink instead of blue?” You don’t need to force anything. Simply attune your frequency, pose the question, and allow the idea time to percolate. Then, when inspiration hits…

3) Be Prepared – I keep a notebook and pen by my bed at all times. Some of the best ideas and inspirations come in dreams or in the early-morning waking state, when your mind is lucid and rested. I’ve dreamed entire songs before. I’ve conceptualized new art pieces and solved creative problems upon awakening. By immediately jotting them down, you can capture the spark before the busy-ness of the day crams itself into your brain.

I always keep a few index cards and a pen on me when out on the town to ensure I don’t miss out on the next flash of inspiration. You may prefer a hi-tech tool like a digital camera or a PDA, but the key is to keep it quick and simple so it becomes a habit. Once the idea is formed, you must…

4) Take Action! – Without action, a great idea is useless. I know several people who have great ideas but never take the steps to manifest them. As a man of action, I tend to have little patience for people like that.

Bringing an idea to life takes time, effort, patience and usually money. With that in mind, you want to prioritize and scale your ideas so they are doable. I’m all for thinking big, but if you insist on drinking Cristal and can only afford Coors, you’re gonna go thirsty.

Research, plan, prioritize and execute. And once you start, don’t quit until it’s complete. Don’t judge yourself too harshly either. It’s not about creating a masterpiece every time; it’s simply about creating every time.

5) Share With The World – Seeing an idea through to completion is incredibly satisfying. For some people the act of creation is the reward. For many others, the final step is to share their work with the world.

This can be frightening because you are opening your work (and therefore yourself) up to judgment, opinions and criticism. When feeling vulnerable, negativity can be devastating.

Remember this: There is only one YOU. Nobody else has your purpose, walks your path or experiences your point-of-view. Therefore everything you create is singular, unique and valid. If you can release your attachment to outside opinions and validation, then sharing your work becomes a celebration of creation rather than a need for acceptance.

I’ll leave you with these wise words from Mark Twain: “Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.”

––––––––––––––––
Your Turn: What are ways that you get inspired? How do you get out of a creative rut or dry spell? Has it ever been so bad that you wondered if you would ever create again? What happened?