Who's Calling The Shots on ActiveRain – The New "Called Shots" Feature

We have a new feature which I’m sure many of you have already noticed on your “MY HOME” pages. 

Since we released the new “SUGGEST” for feature button, we’ve been getting a really good response from members helping us to find and report suggested content for the ActiveRain Feature Board.  You’ll notice today that we’ve placed a new metric “CALLED SHOTS” counter in the status area of each members “my home” page. This little tracker tool will tally a total of how many posts you suggest that actually get featured.

Calling a shot simply means you’ve selected a post by another member that you feel should be featured. 

To do this, you would have to have clicked on the “SUGGEST” button in the upper right corner of their blog post.  If you suggest a members Blog post to be featured, and it is selected, then you will have “Called The Shot” and get the kudos.  When a member accumulates enough “Called Shots” they’ll earn a new badge.

In order to prevent gaming, members may only suggest a maximum of 5 posts per day, so be careful calling your shots, don’t waste them, we may have some additional surprises and rewards for those members “calling the most shots” around here. 

Thank you for helping us keep the network growing and for keeping the community fun!  Your support in suggesting features has been awesome, and is making a huge difference for our moderators and for the variety and quality of content that our visitors and traffic are being exposed to while visiting ActiveRain.

The Race Can Be Better Than The Victory – Never Let Go of a Dream!

When I was seven years old, I was inspired by a movie to wanna grow up one day and be a race car driver.  My parents took me to a Century theater for my very first “Big Screen” experience to watch James Garner and Brian Bedford in the movie Grand Prix.  Mom used to tell me that during the movie, I sat there in the seat holding the tips of my shoes as if they were a steering wheel, and believed I was racing down that track with the other drivers in the movie.  I don’t really remember that, but I do remember that childhood dream of one day wanting to be on the race track to feel that thrill and to experience the excitement of the “race!”

Last week, my good friends Diana Turnbloom and her husband Steve invited me to join them at Infineon Raceway, (formerly Sears Point) to watch Steve and his boys (Brian and Brad) race.  I’ve never actually been to this race track even though I have passed by it many times in my travels to Santa Rosa, Napa, Sonoma etc.  I decided to take them up on the offer since this may be as close as I’d ever get to achieving that one small and almost forgotten childhood dream.  Getting to go down in the pit’s and be part of the behind the scenes action sounded exciting not to mention that getting to see some old friends would be awesome, so I went.

Diana and Steve are very good friends I met in this business many years ago, and are also active here on ActiveRain.  When they invited me out, I don’t think they knew or realized the significance this day would have on me.  It was like a conection with an inner child’s dream that had been couped up inside me all these years.  Racing down a long straight-away, sliding into those tire protected corners, and crossing that line to a waving checkered flag!  I could only imagine (in my dreams) what that would really feel like. The thrill, the excitement, the fear, the danger, and the challenge of it all.  Then there’s the potential of a victory lap!?!  Oh what I wouldn’t give…..

Never let go of a dream folks, the wait is worth it, and the Race can be better than a Victory.

This past Sunday, the stars and planets must have aligned perfectly because this was the day that one of my dreams would become a reality.  When I arrived at the track, Steve and Diana’s son Brad, escorted me over to the area where passes are given to the guests and racers.  I signed a form releasing liability in the case of my accidental death, and the next thing I know, I’m putting on a helmet, climbing into the passenger seat of a Spec Miata race-car, fastening down a 5-point seat belt restraint, and realizing that I am about to head out onto a “live” race track where speed, thrills, risk, danger, and dreams become reality! OMG!!

Brad and Steve banking the High Speed Turns at Infineon Raceway

I can’t put into words what this experience was like.  I’m still speechless and in shock that this even happened yesterday.  More importantly, I am forever grateful to my dearest friends Steve and Diana and their family for inviting me out and making one of my life dreams come true.  Thanks you guys so much.  Being out on that track, literally flying around those corners at top speeds and feeling those g-forces, was one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life and it was just as I had dreamed it would be as a young child. AWESOME!!!!

Watching that checkered flag wave after 20 minutes of heart throbbing intensity was INCREDIBLE!  The race really was as good or better than a victory, and I learned a couple very valuable life lessons:  Never Let Go of your dreams, and remember that the relationships you establish in life are so valuable, in fact priceless.  It was these friends that helped make one of my dreams come true.

Diana and Steve, you guys are the BEST!  Thank you again, and next time……I’ll be driving!  🙂

Never Let Go of A Dream – This Race WAS A Victory!!

Disconnecting To Reconnect – Breaking It Down to Rebuild

It’s great to be back in the “Rain” after a long and over-due vacation.  I spent this last week in Southern California with my kids at Disneyland and California Adventure.  It was awesome, then Saturday night my wife and I spent the night in a really nice Hotel in Sonoma County, just being together with no distractions or stresses.  What a romantic and passionate evening. (sorry, that’s all the details I can give about that) Then my three sons snuck me off for Father’s Day to San Francisco (a total surprise) to the Great American Music Hall to see one of my favorite guitar players, Andy McKee.  It just doesn’t and can’t get any better than this…. or can it?

                      

Reconnecting with my kids and family was very timely and much needed.  You see, I am very passionate about my job here at AR, so much so, that my long hours and work commitment had resulted in neglect and disconnect from my kids and family lately.  This past week showed me that there was a real lack of balance and that I needed this time off to evaluate, make changes, and reconnect with my most valued relationships… my family.  The time away has really helped me learn alot about my kids, my wife, and especially myself.  I was becoming a robot, running on auto-pilot.  No kidding, I’m not even sure what planet I was on there towards the end of last month~

(Thanks for the beautiful card and reminder Sandra)

This past week of Disconnecting To Reconnect – Breaking It Down to Rebuild made me realize that “everyone” needs an opportunity to do this.  We all need the chance to step back, get out, step away, and be honest with ourselves about who we are versus who we want to become.  When you’re in the heat of your day-to-day challenges, stresses, and life in general, it’s hard to really look at yourself and those around you and see the impact or lack thereof you may be having on others.  I have made some major changes and new commitments in my life.  I have conquered some major challenges on my path.  I feel like a new man today.  I only share this with you, my closest friends and colleagues so that you can help hold me accountable.

I’ve hired a Body and Fitness trainer and joined the local Gym.  I have permanently quit some unhealthy habits which I won’t go into details about right now.  I’m committed to my mental and physical health and well being and making it a “life” priority.  I hired a nutrition coach and expert as my “Fit-4-Life” mentor and trainer.  These are some changes I am making because I realized during my time off how out of shape I was both physically and mentally.  It took an extreme disconnect for me to realize how much I had been failing. I thank my beautiful wife Debra for opening my eyes and heart to that.  In those quiet hours of self evaluation and reviewing my personal and family values, I had to break it all down in order to rebuild it again from the ground up. 

It’s been a major life-changing experience for me and my family. If you have never done this, do it before it’s too late.  Life is precious and short and your most valued possessions really are time, family, friends and your relationships.

I was asked to put together this list by one of my coaches/mentors.  It’s my Top 25 Priorities and Life Goals.  I only share these with you in hopes that you may be inspired to make a list of your own, to disconnect temporarily so you can prioritize what’s important in your life, then break it all down so you can rebuild and focus on what’s really most important to you and those you love.  If this motivates just one person, helps change one persons life as it has mine, then it’s a beautiful thing.  I’m just putting this out there to be accountable for who I have become, who I am, and who I believe I am meant to be!

Life Priorities and Goals:

• Have a clean, pure, righteous spirit and conscience
• Focus on mental, emotional, and my physical health
• Take care of family and create, embrace, and nurture my most valued relationships
• Give my very best to everything I do, and do amazing things for others
• Seek perfection in all things including character, but allow failures
• Love others unconditionally and with no expectations
• Live in the moment, plan for the future without fear and doubt, and win part of each day everyday
• Respect others and myself
• Use precious time wisely, it is limited, and should be spent achieving goals and dreams
• Don’t let pain convert to anger, and make resentment convert to love
• Listen whole-heartedly and care with sincerity
• Be accountable for every thought and every action, always be in the moment
• Live with passion, accept all things as lessons, and have the funnest time of my life
• Be kind, caring, helpful, and sincere with others
• Use and share my gifts and talents to the best of my ability
• Think, listen, see, learn, and read, twice as much as I speak or talk
• Listen to my favorite music often, and create my own without fear of failure or rejection
• Always be alert and attentive to others and myself
• Protect and guard my heart and spirit from unhealthy and damaging desires and relationships
• Be faithful to myself and to others
• Be conscientious and avoid obsessive, compulsive, and addictive behaviors
• Create my own eulogy, then live my life backwards
• Always use effective, clear, and concise communication
• Agree to Disagree without resentment or retaliation
• Stay Focused on goals and life priorities
• Continue seeking Gods will for my life, make an amazing difference in the world, and enjoy life’s journey…

This is as transparent as I can be. Welcome to the real me folks, I hope you don’t mind what you see. 🙂

Look What We May Have Started with The ActiveRain Point System

It’s not a game, but some may think it is…

Now before you watch this video, (and I know it’s longer than most would prefer) take special note of the message at the very end. Although very subtle, it will make you really think about how “any point system” ties into business and our personal lives. The message received here may vary from viewer to viewer, but the “Points” should still be the same.

ActiveRain's NEW "Suggest For Feature" Button

Today we launched a new button on ActiveRain.  The “Suggest Feature” button.  

With the volume of great content and fantastic Blog posts being submitted daily from our RainMakers, we have created a new and powerful tool that allows members of the community to make suggestions for posts and articles they feel should be featured on our home page. This is a very powerful new tool, and with great power, comes great responsibility.  🙂  It is similar to the new Facebook “LIKE” button that we recently added.

As long as I can remember, the controversy of what does, and does not get featured has seemed a mystery or at best, a guess.  ActiveRain’s moderators have done a fabulous job in my opinion of sifting through the thousands of daily posts that go up on our network.  It is a very difficult and time consuming task, and it’s no longer humanly possible for us to review every post submitted by members for a potential feature.

The ActiveRain Community has been built and established based partly on our members “ideas and suggestions” and we’re not changing our culture now!  We are looking to our members, and the thousands of eyes (instead of just the few of our own)  to suggest and submit to us, any posts you feel are worthy and have good content for our Feature Board.  Now YOU (our community) can help us moderate and play a significant huge role in what our community stands for and represents. 

By clicking on the new button, you’ll be endorsing that member’s Blog post, and sending us a link to consider for the coveted and infamous golden star.  When you click on it, nothing will happen except the button will turn Grey.  Behind the scenes, it will send the link to our staff for their review and possible selection.  So here’s your chance to help run the ActiveRain Feature Board.  There is no limit to the amount of posts you can suggest to be featured, but you can only select the same post one time.

You may also notice that the “Flag” this post icon is no longer available at the bottom of each Blog post, we’re currently working on a replacement option for reporting members concerns and flagging posts.

Our hope is that before members suggest a post, they’ll keep in mind the culture, “The ActiveRain Weltanschauung” and the “Community Guidelines” upon which this network and vibrant community were created and built.  What “BEST” represents not only ActiveRain and our community, but what Best represents us as an Industry.  I truly believe that giving more of this decision to our members via this new option will benefit us all as a whole. 

YOU have been “The Voice” of AR since its inception, and now YOU can be the “Eyes and Ears” as well.  As we start relying more heavily on member suggestions, you may notice a change in the type of posts that make up the feature board. We’re looking forward to your responses and responsiveness, and we’re also excited about witnessing where this will take us in the future with the ActiveRain Feature Board. 🙂

 

How To Brand Yourself an Expert & Build a Six-Figure Real Estate Business

How To Brand Yourself an Expert and Build a Six-Figure Real Estate Business

It’s not very often that I get to Host an event with a TV Celebrity Star, in fact I can honestly say that I never have.  So if you sense a bit of excitement from me in this post, or a tad of elation here, well then Gosh Darn-it, it’s because I am TOTALLY STOKED about sharing this announcement!!  I’m truly honored to share a very special guest we have coming to ActiveRain and ARU this week.  Now I must admit right out the gate, I have watched the program in the past, but was never really a fan until these last couple of seasons where I actually knew some of the people who were on the show or interviewing and auditioning to “Get Hired!”

This Thursday I am so excited to announce that we have Kendra Todd coming to ARU. The Winner of NBC’s hit series “The Apprentice” with Donald Trump as the host, who has pretty much coined the phrase, “YOU’RE FIRED!”  Well not for Kendra, she was all but fired, she was announced the WINNER of the entire show and the first female to ever do it!  What better person than Kendra to come talk, teach, and share How to brand yourself and expert and build a six-figure Real Estate Business?

I had the pleasure of meeting Kendra in person as one of our guests at RainCamp Bellingham, WA.  She’s a very intelligent and classy lady who really knows her stuff.  Folks, you need to be at this one for sure, if for no other reason than to find out how this lady’s clock ticks.  The Real Estate Business can be somewhat brutal at times, so what does it take to be a “WINNER” while surrounded with pressure and stress?  Can you imagine having to sit in front of Donald Trump and be subject to his demeanor and ridicule?  If anyone can survive that, no wait…WIN that, then there is NOTHING you can’t accomplish in this business and in life.

REGISTER NOW TO COME HEAR & LEARN ALL THAT KENDRA WILL SHARE
(get all the details of our topic and discussion here)

Do You Have What It Takes?  Do You Want To Learn What It Takes?  This is a one-time offer that you better set aside some time for, it’s not everyday we have a TV Celebrity in our midst at ActiveRain University.  I can hardly wait to hear what she’s going to be sharing with us, no matter what, I guarantee it will be awesome.  This one will be a full class so RSVP early if you want to ensure your FREE “virtual” seat at ARU’s campus. 

Kendra, we welcome you and Thank You for taking the time to join us this week!  🙂