Quixoting® - A Quest for New Ideas

A logo, a design and now . . . a new tag-line

In a few recent posts, I shared with you the new logo (and suggested a process for working with a designer).  I also shared thoughts about the new blog design - one that was a long time coming but was well worth the wait.

Done, right?  Nope.

I already had a logo descriptor (a quest for new ideas) which helps people categorize what your idea (blog, product, etc) does or what category you play in.  

Now I have a added one last piece.  A tag-line.  

A tag-line is there to position your idea in the mind of your audience.  When you think about it, the name of this blog, Quixoting, does not have the same meaning for everyone.  

Some think "What?"  Some think "Oh, I get it. The guy who tilted at windmills."  Others say "Who is Don Quixote?".  So I've given myself a challenge - one I knew was there the moment I chose the name.

So, for this blog, defining its purpose is crucial.  No matter how obvious your positioning is, make sure you do everything you can to establish it.

The tag-line I chose is in the banner above and seeks to build a position and a personality.

Take Action.  Be Courageous.  Have Fun! 

These three phrases sum up my life story over last few years.  The first 18 months included a sense that the time was coming to act.  The last 6 months included a crucial decision to get started.

Take Action - I spent years writing down my ideas and promptly stuffing them into a bottom drawer. My lack of action on them left me feeling repressed and generally bummed out.  Why?  Because not acting on my ideas sent a quiet message to my soul that, well, the ideas must not be that good.  So finally I decided to act . . . and that has made all the difference.

Be Courageous - It's not easy to throw yourself out there.  You risk people criticizing your ideas.  The courage to get started includes the decision to sacrifice your personal time and the time of those around you.  It is a lot of work to start something brand new.

Have Fun! - It is amazing what happens once you get started.  Each effort adds on to the one before it. And as you move forward, little successes arrive and it feels great.  An energy starts to build up around what you are doing.  While it is certainly not wine and roses every day, there is a cumulative effect. You find a happy place and drop your bags.     

So there it is.  I am thankful for the chance to write and to think.  And I'm thankful that you are here to read it (and hopefully share your comments).

What's next?  Well, lots of ideas and creative wanderings to come!  Also, there is a website in the works here.  What could I possibly put there?

Well, I have a few ideas . . .  

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Quixoting™

I hope this finds you surrounded by family and enjoying a great holiday.  Best wishes to you and yours!

Looking forward to January, I have plans to make this blog smarter and better for 2009.  I am working on a logo and a new design for the site.  I am also working to better explain its role in the world.  You see, in my "true to Don Quixote" impulsive nature, this site was launched in September with an idea book full of ideas and the inspiration from an errant knight.  The site's purpose would come naturally. That was the plan.

Quixoting will always be about ideas.  Ideas and the philosophy or psychology behind them.  It is also about the inspiration and encouragement to act on them.  This site is the celebration of a man more known for failure than success.  Does that seem strange to you?  For me though?  I'd rather be tilting at windmills than sitting on my rear end without a reason to move!  I see so much more in his story and will work to share that aspect of him with you.

So as I head into 2009, will you continue to read along?  Would any of you be willing to share your thoughts on Quixoting so far?  What has been the most interesting or helpful?  And, importantly, what has been less inspiring?

All the best to you!

Tim

Like Quixoting™? Follow me on Twitter

You can follow me at Twitter.  All welcome!

Thank you from Quixoting™

During this Thanksgiving weekend, I want to share a special thanks to all of the readers of Quixoting.

Whether you have bookmarked this site or signed up for the feed, I am glad to have you!  The "Quest" continues to be a joy for me and I hope you will continue to be a part of it!

Tim

quixoting@gmail.com

Honor yourself

Marsha Sinetar's 1987 book titled "Do what you love, the money will follow" has been an inspiration for me.  And, in some ways, I think it helped to create the concept of Quixoting™.  You see, Quixoting is synonymous with taking action.

If you have ever wondered how you got to this point in your career and weren't one of those who had "accountant" or "doctor" written on a white lace pillow in their nursery, Marsha's book can really help.

There are many great quotes in the book.  I will share a few that not only support the spirit of this site but also, hopefully, will inspire you to go pick up a copy.  It's that good.

First, on taking action and the result of doing so:

"As people honor the actions the value most - by doing them - they become more authentic, more reliable, more self-disciplined.  They grow to trust themselves more; they learn to listen to their own inner voice as a steady, truthful and strengthening guide for what to do next and even how to do it."

By starting to write Tim's Strategy, my other blog, and by beginning to share my ideas on this one, I feel these same benefits for the first time.  I feel them as powerfully as I felt the repression of NOT having done so.

Second, on learning to trust yourself:

"In reality, I did not truly trust myself.  I was afraid to cross uncharted, unconventional waters to get to a more desirable place in life, afraid that - when truth be told - I would not have the requisite strength and competence to accomplish what I so dearly wanted.  I could not even imagine how to start."

Blogging can be a lonely business

Yes, I know you must think blogging to be a glitzy hollywood type of thing.  Your name all over the internet and people clamoring for the opportunity to shake your hand or even to accidentally see you at a local restaurant say:  "there he is!".

But I've got news for you.  This blogging business is hard, lonely work.  It takes you away from other things you love because it takes a long time to write these posts.  Because I work full time, I blog into the wee hours with nothing but my Powerbook screen to light the way.

So every once in a while you get a comment on your blog.  Your eyes light up.  You envision that you are just days away from the moment when your wife calls from downstairs "Honey, Anderson Cooper is on the phone again."  And you think to yourself, "that guy just doesn't give up!"

I got an e-mail tonight from a reader of this blog who said he really liked it.  It made him smile.  I wrote him back and said.  "Thank you, now I'm smiling".  Now before you get all choked up and start dripping tears onto your laptop, realize that most of us who blog don't get 100,000 hits per day like the big shot "A list" bloggers out there.  In fact, many blogs receive less than a few hundred page views a day or even per week.  Believe me when I tell you that it means something to hear your feedback - even if you don't smile each time you read a post here at Quixoting.

As many of you know, I write this blog as well as the other one, because I absolutely love doing it. Sure, it is disappointing when there are fewer people reading the posts.  Some days it can bum you out a bit.  But I keep roaring back.

One of the other things the reader said was that he liked Quixoting as a verb.  I agree (although the trademark office may not agree with us, so let's keep that between us, OK?).

For me, Quixoting is a way of life, a way of thinking and a way of defining my creative self.  To use it in bumper sticker language:  

I'd rather be Quixoting™.

If you've found a home here, tell a friend.  I'll send them a free bumper sticker!

Here's an idea - go vote!

A lot of ideas have been bandied about over the last 19 months - now you have a chance to decide who delivered the best ones. You'll get to see those ideas brought to life over the next four years and then learn who was right and who was not.

Take the time to vote today - it may be the most important one in recent history.

Here's a cool idea - listen to Quixoting™ as a podcast

One of the cool technologies for bloggers comes from Odiogo. Their service provides an almost instantaneous podcast of each of my posts. You can listen to the podcast one of two ways:

1. Directly from my blog. Click the listen now button below each post title. You can listen as you walk around the room or wash the dishes (should you be so inclined).

2. You can subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or other services. Click the Odiogo logo with a "+" symbol under the "start here" section of the sidebar. This is very cool. You can also click here.

Are there any downsides to Odiogo's service?

Well, for one it's not me talking. I think I can get over that if you can . . .

Secondly, I need to write in a more Odiogo friendly way so that the podcasts deliver the intent of the written word. Sometimes quotes or other punctuation causes a hiccup in the podcast. But overall the sound quality and voice recognition are excellent.

What do you think?

Quixoting™ . . . CNN Style

Quixoting is about taking action on your ideas - especially if no one is looking. Even if you don't get rich off the effort. It's really about living out your purpose and finding the meaning of life in your ideas (through the execution of them).

Want to see some real life Quixoting in action? CNN has a special coming up called CNN Heroes. You can also learn more by to the AC 360 blog by clicking here.

This year, CNN Heroes received nearly four thousand submissions from 75 countries. A Blue Ribbon Panel selected the Top 10 CNN Heroes for the year. Now it is the public’s turn to vote for the CNN HERO OF THE YEAR.

Go vote on which of these heroes you think best exemplifies the spirit of taking action to support others.

Quixoting™ - A Quest for New Ideas; So far . . .

This is a summary post of this blog so far. My goal is to highlight the posts since this blog started in early September so that new readers can get a sense of where Quixoting™ started and what it has become.

But, let's be clear, 6 weeks is a very short time in the world of blogs. So this is not a celebration of my posts to date but rather a chance to review and share my content to date.

I'd also love to get your feedback! Do you have favorite posts or ones that you think fell flat? In fact, if you click on any of the posts below, I'll take that as a thumbs up for that post.

Here's what I've covered so far:

More of Finding the Meaning in Life
Left Off™ - The beginning of the end for hip fashion
The Hamlet Complex - To Be or Not To Be
Finding the meaning of life in your ideas
Remembering Kurt Vonnegut
How do you know when it's time to kick off an idea?
Pre-wrapped and ready . . .
Righting all wrongs . . .
It seems like my kids are always slapping on sunscreen
How about a coffee mug that fits in more places?
For all you dog lovers out there . . . rest easy
Seems clear to me - what about a see-through car cover?
(Key-ho-ting) In case you were wondering . . .
When your ideas aren't as obvious as you'd like . . .
What to do with your old and new ideas?
Google offers $10M for 5 great ideas . . . OK, I'm listening
Please don't drink and drive - really, don't
Fear of never having been knighted
When your idea is no longer your idea
The Value of Ideas - Heard on NPR
Stadium seating for Dr. Seuss?
Where do you keep your ideas organized?
If you put lipstick on an idea . . .
Intriguing quotes on the world of ideas
Bringing your idea to life
Ideas on the go
Slices instead of value meals?
Let your horse guide you on the path
Does anyone need a blanket in the summertime?
A river of creative juices
An idea for your feedback
Cleaning out the bottom drawer
What to do with a new idea?

Thanks for your readership so far. Your comments are always read and appreciated . . .

(Key-ho-ting) In case you were wondering . . .

Since I have already broken the cardinal rule of web or blog naming (never too long or too hard to spell), I figure I at least owe you a pronunciation . . .

Key-Ho-Ting

For those of you who are phonetically challenged or if you just enjoy "fun with letters":

1. the Q is like a K except it includes an "E" sound (QUI).
2. the X is like an "H" with an "O" added for posterity
3. the T and the ING are, well, "TING".

Now that we have that out of the way, I'm looking for examples of successful websites or blogs that have really long or complicated names. Got any suggestions?

A gold star for the first example.