Image: Evgeni Dinev / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The picture is of a long pier that expands out into a still lake at dusk. The mountains are reflected in the water and the sky is slightly orange above those mountains. And the pier just reaches out in the middle of it. I used to look at it all the time. It looked like you could just walk right into the painting and onto that narrow pier and walk toward the end of it, where it drops off into the lake.

Tonight I realized that I forgot it was on the mantel. In fact, I hadn’t really paid much attention to the picture since we moved into this house and put it on the mantel–about three years ago. So I looked at it tonight. I noticed something odd though. I’ve always thought that when you look at the photo it seemed you can walk all the way to the end of the pier. And it does seem that way when you give it a cursory look. Tonight, however, I looked hard at it. I realized the only part I could really believe was real was the base of the pier or the part that was closest to me if I was to walk “into” and actually enter the picture. No I’m not getting all “Through the Looking Glass” on you, but you know, some pictures really do look like you can walk into them.

This one stopped looking that way however. While it seemed like one of those pictures on the whole, when I stared at it this time I started to think that the only “real” looking portion was that first part of the pier. Then I thought something else: that’s really the only thing that has to look real in order to go forward.

Do you get that? That’s true with anything. Especially with business. You may be able to see the big picture, but the only thing that has to absolutely be real to you is that step that is right there before you. And you take it. Then suddenly the step in front of you, which was previously the second step, is now the most realistic thing. And soon you will be at the end of that pier ready to jump out into that lake and prepared to swim.

You may be able to see the whole picture, but that doesn’t mean it has to look “real” to you. Just that first step. So take it and see what comes next.

Image: Francesco Marino / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Have you ever stopped doing something in business because it’s not the “right” way to do things? Have you ever stopped to think what the right way actually is? Is it what other’s say it is? Or is it what you feel is the right way? My guess is that most of us consider the “right” way, the way other people expect it to be, or what we think other people expect it to be.

So what makes them right? I know I’m asking all the questions here and not giving too much in way of answers. That’s because it’s something each of us has to ask and answer for ourselves. Our actions should be dictated by what our hearts tell us and not by how we think others will perceive us.

Perception is deceiving and largely dictated by the herd syndrome. It just takes a few brave souls to tell us something is cool and we buy into it. So I find a lot of people who are new to business asking if they should change the way they dress or brand themselves honestly or make up an identity. They want me to tell them what they should be, what others want. That’s not the way. Eventually, that facade wil crack and so will you.

So be cool. Be true to yourself. Run your business the way you think it should be run, even if it is a little nonconformist. If you think it’s right, if you believe in it, if you enjoy what you are doing, the money will follow.

Congratulations to the recent winners of John Chow’s BlogWorld ticket giveaway. None of them were me. Boo hoo. But I’m sure they are some good bloggers. Check them out. Adria Richards of But You’re a Girl won the grand prize full-access pass by offering to hug 500 people while at Blog World. Other winners included Coree Silvera of Market Like a Chick and Jami Gibbs of American Babble, Prudent & Practical, TGT Money and Blogger’s Workshop

Congrats to you all.

Well you probably know if you are a blogger or in the social media industry that the Blog World Expo in October is where you want to be. I’ve been envisioning a Hunter S. Thompson drive out the expo, minus the man-eating lizards and giant bats, for weeks now. Er, let’s just take Thompson out of the picture and say I’ve been looking forward to a road trip to Vegas to attend BlogWorld.

So I’ve got to bite the bullet and, gulp, buy the $895 ticket. Which means I’ll have to pimp out my husband, which contrary to what you guys are thinking, won’t be fun for him, because it will likely be some elderly rich lady with a fruffy yapper dog permanently affixed to her lap and she’ll probably make my husband rub her toes. And her dog’s toes. Or I can just dust off the check book ….

The following was supposed to be a very inspired post. Full of information that would turn your business around, give you new perspective on social media, add fire to your blah public relations campaign and generally make you a better person. But in the end it turned out not to be any of that. Probably because it’s way too late to be awake, and far too late to be thinking in any logical form.

Sometimes I can’t help it though, my brain gets hungry and I need to feed it or maybe it’s that my brain gets restless and I need to exercise it, whatever the diagnosis, the fact is I’ve been up for hours reading and commenting on blogs and websites. I love to find a new site that is bright and funny and informative. I followed the recommendations of bloggers I really like and found some other bloggers I really like but I also found some that really stink so bad it made me rethink the original blogger I liked who suggested the stinker site.

Still it got me craving some more. So tonight I’ll put it to rest but I’m inviting you to tell me who you read. Give me some suggestions. Where do you spend your time on the web and why?