“Work harder on your self than you do on your job.”
–Jim Rohn

My seven principles boil down to one simple idea: The key is not to spend time working specifically on these principles, but rather to spend time becoming the type of person who would naturally live these principles.  It’s a small but essential difference.

I believe self-help books often fail to connect with their audience because they focus on XYZ steps for success. A list of linear to-do steps seems calculated, forced and unrealistic. “You can’t teach that!”  They make it seem easier than it is because that’s what will sell.  People don’t want to hear that they have to change who they are at their core.

I fully acknowledge that the goal here is to become the type of person who doesn’t need to analyze how these principles operate in their daily lives, but focusing on these principles first will work if the greater goal is kept in mind.

The common perception of juggling as a frivolous hobby for kids makes it difficult to build a lucrative business around it, but if I can do it with juggling, I am certain you can brand YOUR passion to create the career of your dreams. If all of this seems daunting, just remember–I juggle plungers.

This excerpt was adapted from the book Life Choices: Pursuing Your Passion of which Jeff is a co-author.  Jeff Civillico is a Las-Vegas based headline entertainer who blends his perfected art of juggling with friendly audience interaction and insane amounts of energy.  With his “Comedy in Action” show, he has performed everywhere from Australia and New Zealand to The White House.  He is a favorite onboard Disney Cruise Line, and his credits on the Las Vegas Strip include V: The Ultimate Variety Show, Nathan Burton, and The Improv at Harrah’s.

In addition to his comedy show, Jeff also delivers a powerful keynote that illustrates the keys to “Branding Your Passion” to create the career, and lifestyle, of your dreams.  A 2005 honors graduate of Georgetown University, Jeff currently serves as President of the Georgetown Alumni Club of Las Vegas.  He is the Founder and President of Win-Win Entertainment, a non-profit that pairs performers willing to donate their time and talent with charities in need of entertainment.

Performance

Here’s the fastest, easiest way to stand out among your peers:
Say you’re going to do something.  Do it.  Repeat.

That’s it.  If that seems easy, it is.  A good friend of mine always says, “It’s easy to be a superstar because so few people are trying.”

Let’s take this seemingly trivial example: You say you will email someone pictures after an event.  You get home, and you email  the pictures.   S/he is blown away by how quickly you did the task (how long did it take – 45 seconds?), and kind of surprised.  Why?  Because most people don’t actually DO what they say they WILL do. And do it promptly.

Make yourself remember– write it down, make a digital note on your phone, email yourself a reminder – whatever works for you and your system.  Just email the pictures!!

Being busy is no longer an excuse.  Everyone is busy, or at least thinks they’re busy.   Citing “busy” as a reason for lack of accomplishment of a certain task is almost a putdown to the party on the other end.  You’re implying that they’re not as busy, i.e. successful, as you are.

I operate all facets of my life at an extremely fast pace.   An argument could be made that I should slow down a fair degree to save time in the long run.  Maybe, but I am most comfortable when I take action quickly and adjust as I move forward.  I feel like a cruise ship or an airplane with a target on the radar, constantly correcting my direction as I go along.
That’s my system, that’s my brand.

I have acquired a very good reputation for doing stuff.  People come to me when they want something done.  When they email me, they know they will get a fast response with action taken.  This is a key part of my brand today.

TAKEAWAY—Develop and live up to a reputation for consistent prompt action. This will put you in the top 10% of your industry over time.

This excerpt was adapted from the book Life Choices: Pursuing Your Passion of which Jeff is a co-author.  Jeff Civillico is a Las-Vegas based headline entertainer who blends his perfected art of juggling with friendly audience interaction and insane amounts of energy.  With his “Comedy in Action” show, he has performed everywhere from Australia and New Zealand to The White House.  He is a favorite onboard Disney Cruise Line, and his credits on the Las Vegas Strip include V: The Ultimate Variety Show, Nathan Burton, and The Improv at Harrah’s.

In addition to his comedy show, Jeff also delivers a powerful keynote that illustrates the keys to “Branding Your Passion” to create the career, and lifestyle, of your dreams.  A 2005 honors graduate of Georgetown University, Jeff currently serves as President of the Georgetown Alumni Club of Las Vegas.  He is the Founder and President of Win-Win Entertainment, a non-profit that pairs performers willing to donate their time and talent with charities in need of entertainment.

Proactivity

Everybody looks out for #1.  It’s not selfish.  It’s natural, and there’s nothing wrong with it— it’s our default setting.  I believe that people are well intentioned in their desire to help one another, but life gets in the way– their life.  Sure, I said I’d recommend someone I just worked with, and I really would like to, but when I get home I’ve got family commitments, plans with friends, and business issues to address… not to mention 97 new emails and 4 new voicemails.  My default setting kicks back in, and I just never get around to making that call for a friend.

The solution? Be proactive! Take the initiative.  In this case– follow up!

When you’re on the fence about whether or not to be proactive and send that reminder email, drop by an office to introduce yourself, or bring up a necessary but maybe awkward issue, always choose YES.  Make it your policy.

Will there be times when being proactive will cause you rejection?  Absolutely.  You may come off as being “too much,” too forward, too aggressive.

Are you going to allow a concern over how you might be perceived by a few to hold you back?  Even if you’re met with resistance, on some level you will be regarded with respect for your willingness to ask for what you want, to put yourself out there, and to face potential rejection.

Some may disagree, but I believe that you have to risk occasionally irritating others by being too proactive.  The cost of choosing NO, quietly moving along, and always playing it safe is just too high.

TAKEAWAY—When you’re debating whether or not to be proactive in a situation that may take you out of your comfort zone, force yourself always to say YES. Be proactive.  Proactivity initiates forward momentum which leads to performance.

This excerpt was adapted from the book Life Choices: Pursuing Your Passion of which Jeff is a co-author.  Jeff Civillico is a Las-Vegas based headline entertainer who blends his perfected art of juggling with friendly audience interaction and insane amounts of energy.  With his “Comedy in Action” show, he has performed everywhere from Australia and New Zealand to The White House.  He is a favorite onboard Disney Cruise Line, and his credits on the Las Vegas Strip include V: The Ultimate Variety Show, Nathan Burton, and The Improv at Harrah’s.

In addition to his comedy show, Jeff also delivers a powerful keynote that illustrates the keys to “Branding Your Passion” to create the career, and lifestyle, of your dreams.  A 2005 honors graduate of Georgetown University, Jeff currently serves as President of the Georgetown Alumni Club of Las Vegas.  He is the Founder and President of Win-Win Entertainment, a non-profit that pairs performers willing to donate their time and talent with charities in need of entertainment.

Plan

Being self-employed grants you tremendous freedom.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone for a 4-hour bike ride on a weekday morning. I’m taking a couple weeks off later this year to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro with some friends.  I can work whenever I want– IF I plan accordingly.

Outsiders looking in rarely see the other side– with freedom comes tremendous responsibility.   Nobody is paying me, and at the end of the day nobody is looking out for me except me.  I need to plan my life, and in that sense, I am always working.  Whereas others leave their jobs and are done, I eat, sleep, and breathe this stuff. Even if I’m watching a game, I’m usually on my laptop at the same time.   In terms of number of hours, I work longer than most of my peers.  The catch, of course, is that I rarely view what I’m doing as “work,” so for me it’s a net win.

In addition to planning your present life’s work, you also need to plan for a bigger operation than you currently have. It’s part of the old “act as if” personal development mentality.  When you “act as if” something already is a certain way, you carry yourself  with a confidence that tends to create a self-fulfilling situation.  When you build a system that can handle a dramatically increased workload, you are prepared.  You are ready and can outsource all of the logistics which are not part of your core competency when you need to.  You can outsource everything that doesn’t make you YOU.

Planning is a continual practice of looking backward and forward.  The often-overlooked part of planning is reflection.  Some people are so stuck in their ways that they never actually stop to see if what they’re doing is working.   You should be constantly tweaking your plans, updating your system, looking back on what has worked and what has not in order to build an even more successful future.

TAKEAWAY—Plan, reflect, and develop your system for success on a regular basis.  The more efficient your system, the better you are.

This excerpt was adapted from the book Life Choices: Pursuing Your Passion of which Jeff is a co-author.  Jeff Civillico is a Las-Vegas based headline entertainer who blends his perfected art of juggling with friendly audience interaction and insane amounts of energy.  With his “Comedy in Action” show, he has performed everywhere from Australia and New Zealand to The White House.  He is a favorite onboard Disney Cruise Line, and his credits on the Las Vegas Strip include V: The Ultimate Variety Show, Nathan Burton, and The Improv at Harrah’s.

In addition to his comedy show, Jeff also delivers a powerful keynote that illustrates the keys to “Branding Your Passion” to create the career, and lifestyle, of your dreams.  A 2005 honors graduate of Georgetown University, Jeff currently serves as President of the Georgetown Alumni Club of Las Vegas.  He is the Founder and President of Win-Win Entertainment, a non-profit that pairs performers willing to donate their time and talent with charities in need of entertainment.

Power Team

If you think about the number of people you come in contact with throughout a day, it’s mind-blowing… especially if you’re out doing your thing, traveling. The more you work, the more people in your field you connect with, and it grows exponentially. The trick is getting those people “to stick.”

Imagine if every one of those people you come in contact with in your life is marketing for you… FOR FREE! The woman next to you on the airplane who asks what you do for a living, the family who you met on a cruise last year, etc. I’m not suggesting that they’re going to be making calls on your behalf, but rather engaging in a more subtle form of marketing. Think of someone you regard highly on a personal and professional level. When a topic arises related to that person, you jump right in and speak well of him or her. “Oh you know so-and-so, isn’t she a great girl? So talented too. If you haven’t seen her…” Imagine if everyone were talking about YOU.

With the internet and social media, the opportunities to spread that good word are limitless—status updates, embedding youtube clips on your blog, retweets, etc.

I have a friend who is always negative. I’ll casually mention that I met a nice person after my show and he instantly wants to know what that guy can DO for me. I don’t know and I don’t care. I naturally enjoy connecting with new people. This “one-for-one” thinking is selfish and obsolete.

Business is about relationships, and relationships take time to build, and a certain amount of good fortune with timing. Who knows what could happen down the line? But really… who cares? Connect with them in this moment.

TAKEAWAY—Become a connector. Don’t worry about one-for-one relationship payoffs.

This excerpt was adapted from the book Life Choices: Pursuing Your Passion of which Jeff is a co-author.  Jeff Civillico is a Las-Vegas based headline entertainer who blends his perfected art of juggling with friendly audience interaction and insane amounts of energy.  With his “Comedy in Action” show, he has performed everywhere from Australia and New Zealand to The White House.  He is a favorite onboard Disney Cruise Line, and his credits on the Las Vegas Strip include V: The Ultimate Variety Show, Nathan Burton, and The Improv at Harrah’s.

In addition to his comedy show, Jeff also delivers a powerful keynote that illustrates the keys to “Branding Your Passion” to create the career, and lifestyle, of your dreams.  A 2005 honors graduate of Georgetown University, Jeff currently serves as President of the Georgetown Alumni Club of Las Vegas.  He is the Founder and President of Win-Win Entertainment, a non-profit that pairs performers willing to donate their time and talent with charities in need of entertainment.