Kathy Ostman-Magnusen writes:

I am obsessive about creating new ideas. The thing is there are tons of people out there who are as well, so I agree so much with the premise of this article.

Years ago when I had my souvenir pottery studio, I was the top seller with all my reps at each gift show. One year low sales came up.

“Why?!” I demanded.

It seems that the competition had noticed my work was selling well and decided to copy it. That was a real lesson to me.

There will always be competition in every single thing so you gotta stay on top of your game, whatever the game.

I create because it is who I am, but I also create to beat out the competition.

Creativity is what wakes me up in the morning and causes me to breathe.

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Paul writes:

Very interesting. Worth buying eyes wide shut. 5 star rating!

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MedicHerbal.com writes:

Hey, this is cool!

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Keith Taylor writes:

On a similar theme, from the opposite direction, Always Do More Than Is Expected Of You, as expounded by John Reese in his video at http://www.income.com/blog/2007/06/04/always-do-more-than-is-expected-of-you/
is an excellent way to get better than average results for you and your associates.

Imagine the progress from unreasonable requests to an over-deliverer.

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Kathy Ostman-Magnusen writes:

Keith, I just watched that video clip. Wow.. so he gave away the keys to his BMW. I’ll say that is giving more than expected.

I think that with the philosophy of Paul Lemberg mixed with that of John Reese, we cannot go wrong.

Do as much as you can with everything you’ve got inside of you. How could we possibly fail?

Believe in yourself right? and then proceed with vigor knowing you can do anything if you set your mind and heart towards it.

Step out and do it because this is Life Take One and we either sit in our chairs feeling comfortable or expect and do MORE. In my case, go out and market my art. Stop feeling like it will come to me.. because it won’t. You have to go out there and get it and then treat it like the golden opportunity that it is.

I love this! I really do. The art of possibility and creativity meets the road that leads to complete success. I feel uplifted today by these philosophies. Thank you!

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Christopher M. Knight writes:

All,

Let’s try to keep this comment thread focused on Paul’s book or his philosophies. :-)

Kathy,

#1) Always Do More Than Is Expected of You.

John has articulated a belief that I’m certain is true.

The way I say it, “The amount of money you make is in direct proportion to the amount of value you create — therefore, if you want to make more money, you must find ways to create more value for more people.”

John’s way of saying it is a bit easier to digest. :-)

…and it’s so true that the majority of people only do the minimum that is expected of them. That’s like parking 90% of your talent and never fully realizing your potential.

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Kathy Ostman-Magnusen writes:

Thank you as always for your advice Chis.

~*~

I just went to Amazon and read a bit more about how to “Be Unreasonable”. Wow, some wonderful reviews are posted there. I think I MUST have this book.

Think outside of the box and ask for more. That has always felt so uncomfortable for me. When people inquire about buying a painting I practically try to talk them out of it.. stupid I know, I must stop that.

A quote from Paul Lemberg’s “Be Unreasonable”:

“Imagine decisions forged in the depths of your clearest vision without being diluted by what you or anyone else thinks you are supposed to do”

I LOVE this quote. Decide, forge it .. that resonates because I have forged metal sculptures before. Make it bend, to form to what is in your imagination, product or the selling of them, right? Stop listening to that old defeated voice and demand success.

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Effie writes:

I loved reading this article today and beleive in it 100%.

Well, what goes around comes around, as the old saying goes.
If you give 100% plus you will have something to be proud of and something to get paid for.

Writing is expression; music wrapped around the energy of knowledge. I don’t care if I get paid 1/2 of what another might receive as long as I can give something that sings to another’s mind, heart, soul or just solves one small need. Those who write for less will find it hard to compete with another who feels this way and possesses the skill to perform it on paper.

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Lance Winslow writes:

Kathy, it would be totally unreasonable for you to ask your competition to give you 10% commission of everything they sell because they copied your idea? But what do you have to lose, if they say NO, you still win, because you made them think about their business methods and may prevent them from copying you in advance in the future. Or if they say yes, let them copy you, because you get a commission and others may too, and all the commission will mean you can concentrate of creativity and collect checks in the mail?

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Keith Taylor writes:

Chris,
“Let’s try to keep this comment thread focused on Paul’s book or his philosophies. :-)”

You’re absolutely right. Please put a link to my articles on your homepage as the most caring, if not most prolific, article writer.

Kathy,
“Stop listening to that old defeated voice and demand success”

‘This day’ we will FLY.

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Christina Sponias writes:

Hi Chris and everyone!

Paul is showing us how we can receive more if we believe we deserve more, if we don’t stick in our old methods and ideas and if we don’t follow the general conceptions about everything, getting adapted to the passive acceptance of reality without trying to change anything.

He is more than right! We have to be original and we have to believe in our own power. The human being can do anything he wants if he believes in his own power!

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Kathy Ostman-Magnusen writes:

Effie, “Writing is expression; music wrapped around the energy of knowledge” Ohh so beautiful!

Lance,
“Years ago when I had my souvenir pottery studio… “, I don’t have that business anymore. Rule of thumb 10 years ago, was that you had 6 months with a product b4 it would be copied, w/adjustments, to get your idea out there. It is probably 6 weeks now. It is to be expected anyway. My ‘point’ was that there will always be competition and you just have to work at being fresh. They can copy your idea but not your mind.

Chris,
In art, value is subjective. I constantly try to improve on my skills and deliver a better product. I am one of those people who works when the boss is not looking. The subject here though is in marketing oneself, expecting more and demanding it.. no? I have the product, miles of it, now I need to market with confidence as does anyone else in any field. Yes i want to FLY, I want to be a STAR, not just sell at the local crafts fair.

~*~

This marvelous book of Paul Lembergs, “Be Unreasonable”, this idea of taking quantum leaps in marketing and growth by demanding unreasonable requests and being outrageous , makes total sense to me. It rubs against the grain, but I take in the energy, the physics of it, and hope to watch it radiate onto all I do at this point. I think this subject comes at just the right time for me. I need to stop being shy and expect the star of my movie, ME, to Shine. I need that book! I want to know the steps. I want to be outrageous, demand more ohh how artist like and what a yummy idea. I think I am going to start today by dyeing my hair carrot orange to set the stage for my new approach on life… Smile… HUGE smile.

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Kathy Ostman-Magnusen writes:

Ya know.. I think I know what the problem is, at least mine. How do you project yourself, ask for what is perhaps unreasonable and still feel like a nice person? Eww. That part gets me every time.

I worry… do they still like me?

What has caused me to write this? As small an issue as my last posting. Was I disrespectful to Lance or Chris in my reply to them? If so, I am sorry.

This is my example. If I worry about that, which after reading it over am not sure, well then GADS.. what about when I press someone who really does not want to be pressed?

I guess this book is just saying to go for it, no matter?

Perhaps the book addresses this? Good manners vrs. Getting Ahead.

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Christina Sponias writes:

It’s more about believing you can do more even though you may seem unreasonable.

One shall be reasonable, this is the rule.
So, Paul tells you that you have to be against the rule and believe you can succeed even though you may seem to be unreasonable.

‚¬“Unreasonable‚¬ is the person that cannot get adapted to the reality of their lives. This is considered as being wrong, according to what many people in our time believe.

Paul is showing us though that we shall dare to be different, because it’s good to be unreasonable: what people consider as being ‚¬“reasonable‚¬ may not reflect the truth. This is only their opinion!

We shall be creative and react, instead of simply following the ‚¬“reasonable‚¬ prescriptions, without attempting to reach a higher goal.

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Lance Winslow writes:

As “Unreasonable” as it may sound EzineArticles maybe asking every author to refer three friends to post their very first articles during “New Membership Week” which starts on July 8th, 2007.

So, everyone is to tell a friend, actually three of them to post their first article. Who do you know that is a writer or aspires to be one? Who do you know that runs a company and could use a little exposure and should participate in a little extra marketing? I bet you know at least three, is it really too unreasonable to ask? You tell me?

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Christopher M. Knight writes:

Lance,

What if we closed the site to no longer allow free membership and made the site by invitation only?

Once invited, each member would be given 5 invites to hand out.

Sound crazy?

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Christopher M. Knight writes:

Kathy,

Getting “ahead” is about giving “ahead”… meaning, to raise your personal standards to demand more from yourself and others around you… to raise your contribution level in terms of the ‘service’ you provide others.

I’m pretty certain Paul’s book is not about whether you are worthy to receive more in your life. If you think you are worthy to receive more because you give more than anyone else, I have no doubt you’ll receive more of whatever you want in life.

Now to finally answer your previous post, this is not a marketing book. Paul’s book is more about success in business in general via planning and executing in ways that make you unbeatable…because you’re unreasonable; but it also doesn’t mean you’re a jerk.

In fact, page 172 discusses Jerk Leadership.

I see Paul’s book as a mental toolset for leaders who want to expand or find new ways to think bigger.

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MedicHerbal.com writes:

As ‚¬“Unreasonable‚¬ as it may sound EzineArticles maybe asking every author to refer three friends to post their very first articles during ‚¬“New Membership Week‚¬ which starts on July 8th, 2007.

So, everyone is to tell a friend, actually three of them to post their first article. Who do you know that is a writer or aspires to be one? Who do you know that runs a company and could use a little exposure and should participate in a little extra marketing? I bet you know at least three, is it really too unreasonable to ask? You tell me?

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Lance Winslow writes:

Actually Chris, this maybe unreasonable to some, but I bet it would work very good.

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Kathy Ostman-Magnusen writes:

I hype EzineArticles to the hilt to friends and people I network with, and on MySpace. In fact, I posted this blog on my blog at MySpace yesterday morning.

I think I should have credit for all the people I have already directed to EzineArticles. Ha ha.

OK.. I have no problem asking friends to post an article. EzineArticles has certainly done me well with my SEO and made me a popular girl… glamour smile.

I thought we were hyping Paul Lembergs book… not anymore?

Do I get to post ‘my’ outrageous request too?

Yay!

I request that each one of you in the entire blog.. NO.. in the whole UNIVERSE buy one of my paintings, giclees, greeting cards and sign up for my newsletter. I think that is a completely reasonable and outrageously wonderful idea.

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Christina Sponias writes:

Why do you want to change the system?
By invitation I would never be here and many others like me, that are not part of your community.

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Kathy Ostman-Magnusen writes:

I have to agree with Christina.

Why not just make it a bonus or something? Give it as an incentive for something like being on the homepage ,or.. ???

More bees come with honey.

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