Fun Designs

I've been working on some new promotional materials with my brother Jim and business partner Rodger.

Here are some samples of what we came up with! Thank you for the hard work Jim!

Now Hiring Just Not You!

I recently was asked to speak at Arizona State University. I was asked to speak with students about the job market, 30 second pitches and tips and tricks to interviewing.

I had a great time being really "honest" with the students. I told them about all the jobs I've been turned down for. Some of the stories were funny and others were depressing.

I pretty much told the students how I've been a professional job hunter the last 5 years.

While talking to them I remembered the chapter I wrote in my book. I've decided to share that chapter with you today. Enjoy!

Now Hiring…Just not you!

I can't imagine anything more worthwhile than doing what I most love. And they pay me for it.  Edgar Winter


  “Hi. My name is Frank C. Kitchen and my initials say it all. You should hire me because I am fun, creative and knowledgeable. I create the environments that everyone desires to work in. If you need someone to plan your next event, train your staff or motivate your employees, then contact me at hirefrankkitchen@yahoo.com. That's H-I- R-E Frank Kitchen, like the room, at Yahoo.com. No job is too big or too small. All I need is you and the opportunity to shine.”

Those are the words I spoke on January 28, 2010. I was appearing on the cable news network CNN.  I was a guest on 30 Second Pitch. I had 30 seconds to tell the world on live television why I would be a great employee. After my appearance, I received e-mails from around the world. I received compliments. People thanked me for inspiring them. I also received offers for a variety of pyramid schemes. The one thing I didn’t receive was a legitimate job offer. I thought the jobs offers would overwhelm me. I had nailed my live interview, but I was still looking for a job. That day made me realize that, I am not defined by my job. 

The jobs, careers and work you pursue have a huge impact on your dreams. In 2007, I left my job at Lakeland Community College to pursue my passion. I was going to be a full-time speaker. I saved my money. Contracts were lined up. I moved across the country to live with my future wife. Everything was going great until, The World Financial Crisis hit. People were losing jobs, companies were filing for bankruptcy and everyone was cutting their budgets. Not a good time to start a new business as a speaker. 

My adventures as a professional job hunter began in 2008. My speaking calendar was very inconsistent. I was under-employed. I was working, but not enough to pay my bills. I figured it would be easy for me to get a job to help make ends meet. I was armed with a great resume, a killer personality, a college degree and a long list of accomplishments. I expected a great paying job with lots of responsibility. 

I read countless articles about the changing job environment. The articles said I shouldn’t let my ego or pride get in the way of my job hunt. So, I applied for everything.

Here are a few of the jobs I applied for:

Painter, substitute teacher, toxic waste disposal, bank teller, event planner, product representative, solar sales, water sales, flight attendant, rental car sales associate, stadium tour guide, security officer, school crossing guard, street sweeper, personal trainer, audio and visual technician, hot air balloon employee, apartment rentals, youth mentor, human resources positions, speakers series director, zoo employee, sports league coordinator, secretary, office manager, youth mentor, personal assistant, pharmaceutical representative, acting coach, model coach, volunteer trainer, Student Activities Director, hotel manager, movie theater employee, waiter, public address announcer, pizza cook, valet, limo driver, delivery man, writer, golf course attendant, radio station representative, census worker, fundraiser, telemarketer, hospital baby photographer, birthday party host and as a speaker.

I was turned down for every job above. No interviews, no decline letters and no reason for why I wasn’t good enough. I am a very confident individual, but my confidence was starting to wane. I was a National Keynote speaker, but was being turned down for 9-5 jobs. I could train a company’s employees at a conference one day. The next day I would be turned down for a job as a corporate trainer. Why couldn’t I get a job? Why couldn’t I get an interview? Why couldn’t I get a simple letter saying, “Thanks, but no thanks?” I was no longer living the American Dream. I was living the American Nightmare. I was waking up to The Employment Hustle.

The Employment Hustle is what job hunters are experiencing everywhere. It’s just like a board game. This board game has a major problem. There are numerous players, but only one player has the rules. That one player has the ability to change the rules anytime they want. That one player is known as The Employer. The only way for you win this game is to learn the tricks of the trade. You have to learn that your job is not your life.

You are not defined by your job. You are defined by your passions, pursuits, beliefs and accomplishments. A job is a tool used to accomplish your dreams. When you start to think this way, you will be one step closer to living your dreams. 

I applied for every job under sun. It was the wrong thing to do. I wasn’t getting any closer to my dreams. I was being desperate. Don’t chase after the hot jobs listed on a website. Don’t follow trends blindly. Don’t listen to the people who say there is a right way to write a resume. You will find job fairs that don’t have jobs. Job-hunting is very subjective. Employers have the upper hand because there are millions of people willing work for anything. You have to pursue work you are passionate about.

When you pursue a passion, it’s not work. My best friend Scott is a golf coach. He loves to play golf. It’s an expensive sport, but it’s a passion. His father first taught him the game he fell in love with. His dream is to play as much as possible and be the best he can. To accomplish his dream, he started working at a golf course and coaching the local high school golf team. Both jobs allow him the opportunity to play all the golf he wants. It equates to thousands of dollars saved. He has truly worked to create a lifestyle. Scott’s not working, he’s living his dream. You have to work to create the lifestyle you want. The best work opportunity for you isn’t always posted on a jobsite. You have to go out and create it.

“The single greatest error and deception of our accounting system: people are paced in the liability column on the balance sheet. Machinery and computers are categorized as assets and people as liabilities.” – The Dream Manager by Matthew Kelly

You are not guaranteed a job. I thought I was.  I learned an employer doesn’t have to hire you. People costs are the greatest expenditure for any business. Companies are cutting costs and trying to improve profits. They can layoff employees with a snap of their fingers. They can choose not to hire new staff when the costs are too expensive. Yes, you are seen as a liability. Being a liability you have to prove how you will help the employer build their dream or prove you can make them money. For every job opening there are several qualified candidates and hundreds of prospective candidates applying for the position you want. A company is loyal to its stockholders and bottom line. They don’t have to give you a job. You can no longer expect to have a job. You have to earn it. During your job hunts, find employers to work with, not work for. When you work with someone, it’s a partnership. You’re working together to help build each other’s dreams.

Scott created his opportunities. He befriended the right people and let them know about his passion for golf. Scott learned about his golfing jobs by networking. The United States Labor Department stated that 69% of job hunters acquired their jobs through networking or talking to someone they know. Don’t spend all of your valuable time searching job websites. The sites don’t allow you to standout from the crowd. Talk to the people you know. These people know you well. They can give you a recommendation that a website can’t. If 69% of employment comes from knowing someone, why do people spend the majority of their time seeking employment from people they don’t know? Focus your valuable time and energy on the people who care about you. 

I want you to be armed with the knowledge needed to successfully survive the employment jungle. I want your dreams to become reality. Your lifestyle and career path will be a determining factor. You’ll have to work hard, but it is more important for you to work smarter. Nothing is guaranteed. The chances of you being with a company for life are slim. Don’t base your life around your work. Pursue work where you will have more positive experiences than negative. Find an environment you desire work in. Take advantage of the job. Don’t let it take advantage of you. Find work that allows you to use your special skills and talents. Find work that allows you to pursue a passion. Find work that assists you with living your dreams. Pursue a passion. When you are passionate about something, it’s not a job. It’s you hiring yourself to live your life.

Great Day for a Bike Ride

This week Kelly and I learned about a monthly activity put on by the city of Phoenix. It's called Silent Sunday. One Sunday a month when it's cool they city closes all of the roads in South Mountain Park. The roads for the day are only open for bikes, strollers, wheelchairs, skateboards or any other human powered vehicle with wheels.

The day was fun for Kelly and I because of the non-profit organization known as Daring Adventures. They were on hand to offer bikes to people who needed them. For a donation to charity they will let you borrow one of their bikes. Kelly and I went for the three wheelers. We biked through the park for a little more than an hour and probably did about five miles through the hilly park.

Next week the group is offering free kayaking at Lake Pleasant.

Enjoy the pics and remember to live life. Even when money is tight, you can still find fun things to do. You just have to LOOK.

Life Changing Moment

Kelly and I at Scott and Lisa's wedding (No scratches)

Have you had a life changing moment? What did you do after that moment. I had a moment like that last year. It has driven me to work harder and do the best I can to experience life.

Last year, Kelly and I had a life changing moment. We were taking our first cross country road trip.

We would drive from Arizona to Ohio for my best friends wedding (I was the best man). After the wedding we would drive from Ohio to South Carolina to see my grandparents. From there we would head west. We would stop to see my father in Louisiana. They stop and see Kelly's parents in New Mexico.

Our trip was going well until we got to Oklahoma. Just outside of Tulsa we ran into some thunderstorms. We checked the radar on my phone and it looked like the worst has passed. I was so wrong. While Kelly was driving, strong winds and rain popped up without notice. The road went from dry to slick. Next thing you know, our car was spinning out of control.

Kelly was driving and I was just starting to close my eyes when I heard her say "uh oh." We weren't speeding, but anything over 50 miles per hour is fast! I looked up to see the concrete barrier the separates the highway coming at us fast. I grabbed onto the JC or the "Oh Sh!T" handle and looked at Kelly. I expected to see the car flip, air bags go off, or at worse, an explosion. Kelly kept control of the car and spun it just enough so the side of the car hit the wall.

At this point, the car bounced off the barrier and we went back across the highway. We came to a complete stop when the car hit the metal guard rail straight on. We were ALIVE!

Some how we didn't flip, explode or get hit by other cars or semi-trucks. After we stopped, I looked around to see if Kelly was ok and survey our situation. I smelled something burning, so I got out of the car to see what was left. I didn't see any smoke or fire, but I noticed the trunk was wide open.

In the middle of the highway were our bags, clothes and some of my speaking materials. It started to poor rain as I ran into the middle of the interstate to collect our stuff. I really wasn't thinking, I was just reacting. I grabbed everything I could and got it back to the car. Kelly was still buckled in the car. I checked on her before getting out of the car again. This time I waved cars out of the way. Our car was still in the highway. We stopped just past a blind turn and I didn't want anyone to hit us. I was also waiving for help.

Countless cars drove by without stopping. Finally two nice men stopped to help us out. They let us use their cell phone and they called the police for help. They barely spoke English, but that didn't matter. They had a heart and helped us. I did get their contact information and wrote them a long thank you note. I also told their employer how great they were.

While waiting for the police, I told Kelly how my head and ribs hurt. That's when we discovered what the burning smell was. The airbags on my side of the car had gone off. They kept me from slamming into the door and hitting my head on the window. The force of the airbags gave me "rug burns" on my head behind my ear, on my arm and on my ribs.

The police and tow truck finally showed up and took us to town. That's when we learned about the other accidents in the area. We also learned that it hadn't rained in over 45 days and we were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Highways are slickest when it first starts to rain. It's even worse with all of the oils in the road from tires and vehicle fluids. The officer and tow driver said we were luck to be alive and said Kelly did a great job handling the car.

The car was totaled, but we were alive. Thank you GOD and thank you Honda Civic.

We would finally get a rental car and finish our cross country trip.

We learned that day that life is short. We made the rest of the trip the best trip possible. It was a tough time, but we worked together to make things work.

We're still a little nervous when driving in the rain or windy days. But, we're getting better and communicating when things make us feel uncomfortable (just like the weather that day.)

Everyone is going through tough time or will experience tough times. Just remember, no matter how tough things get, at least your still alive. After you do that, thank GOD for giving you life and make the most out of that gift.

Here are some pictures from the accident.

The rain stopped when the police showed up. Notice the big dent in the guard rail in front of the police car.

Felt a burning feeling on my arm. Air Bag Road Rash.

Never saw the side curtain air bag go off. So strong it ripped the ceiling of the car!

Asked Kelly if her laptop was safe in the trunk before we left the hotel. She said it would be fine. A few hours later, it got ejected from the trunk onto the highway. Amazingly, her dress for the wedding was fine. No trucks ran over it.

The side airbag left a nice mark on my head and ear.

Side airbag came out of my seat to protect me. Left a nice bruise on my ribs.

Thank you side air bags! Thank you Honda! You have loyal customers for life.
We replaced our civic with a Honda Accord a few weeks later.

Back quarter panel. Lucky we hit that and nothing else.

Scene of the accident a few hours later. No rain and barely a mark on the wall. Police told us these walls are designed to flip the cars so they don't go into on coming traffic. We got lucky.

Minimum Wage is not enough!

The economy is crazy right now. Everyone says things are getting better, but are they really?

There are people looking for work and can't find anything, even if they are qualified or over qualified. If you do find employment, the hours are terrible or not enough.

There are a lot of people who are working two or three jobs. That's a tough balancing act, but something that has to be done to pay the bills.

I have personally experienced jobs asking me about my loyalties or priorities when they find out I have other work.

To be honest, I've worked up to four jobs at one time to make only a percentage of what I made in the past. Minimum wage sucks and it makes you feel very "minimum." It's not even enough for you to pay your bills. And we know the bill collectors don't care.

I was recently directed to an interesting diagram on a website. It show's how many hours a person would have to work to get an apartment if they made minimum wage.

I really think the government should take a "true" look at the figures. They can talk about creating jobs, but what type of jobs are they creating. Just like I said on CNN a few years ago, people don't want any job, they want good jobs.

Click on this LINK to learn more!

BAD BAD Apples Newsletter

Every Quarter, Rodger and I will be writing a newsletter to share with our family and friends. Here is a photo copy of this quarters edition of "The Slice!"

Speech Coaching

“Selling your Apple” – Delivering Speeches with value and impact!

Weather you are preparing yourself for a Wedding Toast, Work Presentation, Acceptance Speech, Award Ceremony, Graduation Speech or a Keynote Performance, Glossophobia can strike…the fear of speaking in public. Public speaking is the number one fear of people worldwide.

Apples are like speeches. They have value and impact. That value and impact are recognized when presented clearly and passionately.

Speaking in public can be very rewarding. To have a great experience, you need the proper tools, practice, time and engaging teachers. You need someone to take you from fearing public speaking to enjoying the sweet success of presenting.

The BAD BAD Apples have traveled the world delivering messages that have inspired, educated and entertained thousands. They will design and customize a program that provides you the opportunity to shine the next time you deliver a speech, lecture or presentation.

TESTIMONIALS

Karen Boswell

My name is Karen Boswell. I have worked with Frank Kitchen at the Phoenix Zoo for over 2 years now since 2009.

Frank was asked by management to help observe and train the Trail Guide staff. When my turn came up he was smiling while I gave my talk on Elephants. When I was done I asked for his comments. He smiled wider and said "Karen your content was excellent. No problem there, but what I saw surprised me. You are shy! You are not comfortable promoting yourself! The public needs to know why you are here, who you are, and where your next talk is!" I laughed too, because he was SO right! I was not aware of my shyness, but when he brought it to my attention he was spot on!

I am your Experience Guide at the Phoenix Zoo! My name is Karen Boswell! After we talk about Elephants I will be available to answer your questions! My next talk will be at the Flamingo exhibit at 11 AM. See you there!

Thanks Frank, your advice was so simple yet so effective!

Frank Kitchen CAN help improve your public speaking skills! I highly recommend him!

Oloho Delano

I remember when I first started college, I didn’t really know what to expect. When I was in high school, I believed that college was something for the really smart kids. For me, going to college to accomplish my dream of being a doctor seemed impossible, because I stuttered. I was raised to work hard, get a factory job, and pay bills, and ultimately that’s what I did. I got into a great company, making great money, with great benefits, but there was one thing wrong, I wasn’t happy. Deep down inside I knew that the factory life wasn’t for me. It was great work, but it didn’t utilize the skills that I believed I had somewhere inside me. I knew that I had to go to college, but how do you quit a great job? Where would I start? Could I do it? I didn’t know, but something drove me to figure it out. I told myself that if I was going to do it that I was going to give it my best effort, and whatever happens, happens, and I went for it.

One of the first people that I met was Frank Kitchen. Here’s this tall, slender guy who was always smiling and always positive. I was like, what’s wrong with this guy no one can be that happy all the time! But there was one thing that really drew me to him, his genuine love for people. And that gift that Frank has inspired me to perform my first speech ever in my entire life. Actually it was a speech that I wrote for him to speak, but he wouldn’t do it. He told me, “You wrote it, you have to do it,” and he just stood there smiling. And I’m thinking, “what an ass! I don’t do public speaking.” But deep down inside I really did want to do it, but I conditioned myself so well to fear speaking because of my stutter that I really believed that it was impossible. But Frank worked with me, coached me, and told me to go do it! Well, I did it, and then went on to do several more speeches, and today I coach and inspire high school students to be all they can be.

What Frank did for me, he can do for anyone who attends his coaching seminars. Whether or not you believe you can do it or not, just show up, and let Frank do the rest. If you really have a desire to get better at public speaking you won’t be disappointed! Just show up, smile, and start speaking. Like Frank told me, just do it!

From a lifetime friend,

Oloho

Danny Fortes

I was scared to do a Best Man's speech at my friends wedding. After watching Frank give an awesome speech at an event I attended. I asked him for a few pointers because I was dreading the whole experience the wedding was less than a month away. Frank gave me a half a dozen solid pointers from start to finish. From there I drafted my speech and implemented every tip he gave me. My speech was awesome!!! I got so many compliments from people who were in attendance. He has now given me the confidence to do public speaking. Thanks Frank you have a talent for teaching.

Emily Awbrey

Ever since middle school I have had a fear of getting in front of people to present information or give a speech. I even avoided taking speech class in high school.

Now, as a business professional, I have been requested to give presentations and I would continue to pawn it off on someone else to avoid the spotlight. Naturally, I have an outgoing personality and believe I could actually be good at public speaking. I was ready to face this fear and give public speaking a shot, so when I was asked to participate on a panel discussion at a state-wide conference I felt it was time to step up to the plate.

About a month prior to the panel discussion, I discovered Frank Kitchen, a friend, was a professional speaker and coach, and kindly asked for assistance. Frank was more than happy to help me and actually got me excited about the event.

He worked me one-on-one to discover my root issues with speaking and designed a plan to conquer these issues. Working through this process allowed me to properly prepare myself and deliver a thoughtful, informative discussion with no voice quivers! It was a great success and I really could not have done it without Frank!

Thank you Frank for your encouragement and determination in seeing me through this process!

End of the Line

Kelly and I have been spending more time lately finding interesting documentaries to watch. It's fun to learn about other parts of the world.

This past weekend we watch the documentary "End of the Line." It focuses on how we are over fishing our oceans and how greed and looking at the short term will hurt future generations.

If you're looking for something interesting to watch. Click on one of the links below.

End of the Line Website
End of the Line Movie (FREE to WATCH)

Birdie!

I'm have a long list of goals I want to achieve and experience.

I call my list, my Grocery List. Its a life time list of wants and needs. It's a cool feeling to cross off items on the list.

One of my goals this year is to play more golf. I moved the golf mecca of Phoenix about five years ago from Ohio. As soon as I moved here I stopped playing. One reason was golf is expensive. The other reason wadi had no money. No money no golf.

I'm working on both situations this year. My grocery list has a several golf accomplishments on it. One is to score a "birdie" on a hole. That means I score one under par on a given hole. Which means it takes me one stroke less than what is expected for that hole.

Last week at the Mountain Shadows Golf Course in Paradise Valley, Arizona the golf gods smiled on me. After not playing golf for almost two years, I scored my first birdie ever. I've come close before, but nothing.

My friend Ryan and my father-in-law were there to witness my triumph. They also saw me loose about 6 golf balls, hit a hotel, hit two streets, hit a wall, hit a ball on the driving range when I wasn't practicing and double hit a ball. All the bad shots went away when I accomplished my dream in Hole #15.

Good Luck achieving your dreams!

Best Buddies R-Word Video

Last month I got a chance to shoot a video with my friend Dakota. The videos educate people about the use of the R-Word. Watch, learn and enjoy!

Inspring Review

I get the opportunity from time to time to inspire and motivate people. I encourage them to achieve in creative ways. It 's a passion and something I enjoy doing.

I recently had someone ask me, who do you go to for inspiration. I go to my wife, family members, friends and I read interesting stories. Hearing people say thank you or showing signs of appreciation are very inspiring too.

This weekend I was inspired by an e-mail I received from a young woman in Arizona who purchased me book. We used to work together, but hadn't seen or talked to each other in about a year.

We met at a local Starbucks to catch up and for me to give her a signed copy of my book. We didn't have much time to talk, but she thanked me for the book.

To my surprise, I found a nice e-mail waiting for me the next day.

Here's part of what Sara wrote:

I read a lot, and the thing that keeps me most interested in a book is when it speaks to me on a personal level. I sense that your book has done that for a lot of people. You speak the truth in a way that isn't harsh or condescending, and instead gives hope that life can improve, and that the reader is more than capable of making the necessary changes on their own. It's fun, honest, and heartfelt. I feel privileged to know you, and grateful to have my very own copy of Fresh From the Kitchen! I hope that you are able to take the path you want in life, as I'm certain you've led many to their own desired path. Take care, Frank, and stay in touch.

If you ever feel like you're not going in the right direction; something will appear to let you know which way to go.

For me, I'm going to keep using written and spoken words to assist people find the right path and head the right direction.

Thank you Sara.

Arizona FCCLA Conference

Yesterday I was given the great opportunity to attend the Arizona Family, Career and Community Leaders of America State Leadership Conference. My good friend Dakota Johns was invited to speak. I help coach Dakota with his speeches and at 17 years old, he his blowing people away with his abilities.

Dakota invited me to the conference to give his introduction and pump up the audience. It's fun being a part of his "entourage." I kind of feel like a crops between his hype man, manager, coach, friend and tech crew.

There was a lot of energy for the speakers and Dakota's parents sitting in the front row made things perfect.

Dakota is an advocate for people with disabilities. He's been diagnosed with Down Syndrome, but he doesn't let his diagnosis prevent him for pursuing his dream to be a speaker.

After Dakota spoke we got to watch Keynote Speaker Justin Boudreaux speak. The keynote was amazing. His three points in life were spot on.

Opportunities are taken not given
Connect to your dreams
Accept yourself

Great points proved by people who inspire me, just like Dakota. He follows those three steps everyday.

Enjoy some pics from the conference.

Book of the Month

My goal this year is to read 12 books. I'm off to a slow start, but will be picking up pace soon.

My recommended read this month is "Delivering Happiness." It's written by the CEO of Zappos. Tony Hsieh. The book is one of the few books I recommend that people buy and keep.

It talks about how the Zappos company created a culture and environment that people want to work in and work with. The theories in the book are very straight forward and easy to understand, but give the reader a great perspective on life and how to find happiness.

To learn more about the book, click the link below

http://www.deliveringhappiness.com/

B.A.D. to the Core

I work as part of the Motivational Speaking Duo called "The BAD BAD Apples." We believe B.A.D. is a way of life! It means if you would like to achieve or be successful you have to be B.A.D. The means you have to have Belief, Action and Determination. You also need to Build And Develop.

Our mission is simple – Encouraging others to achieve in creative ways

We are B.A.D. to the Core! Here are our core values!

-Values to establish Belief Action and Determination and to Build and Develop

1. Create an environment of growth, which is rich in communication, creativity,

knowledge and fun.

2. Life Happens. What is good for family is good for business. Family is our highest

priority.

3. Always pursue positive life experiences.

4. All decisions will be short term focused with long-term perspective.

5. Customer Service will be relational focused and not monetarily focused.

6. Business opportunities will be aligned with areas of passion and interest.

7. Enjoy life, get the full experience and celebrate the little things

Great Quote

Photo from the White Tank Mountains State Park, Arizona

Been working hard lately to live the life Kelly and I believe we were put on this earth to live. It's hard work and sometimes we need some inspiration. Inspiration can come from many different places. I get a lot of inspiration from quotes.

This quote really inspired me today.

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what make you come alive, and do that, because what the world needs is people who come alive." Gil Baile

Blast from the Past

Almost 5 years ago, I was invited to the University of Miami Florida to help the students in an attempt to break the Guinness Book world record for Simon Says. It was freshman orientation and we had almost 2,000 people in the area for the event.

We fell 70 people short of the record.

I think it's time for me to make a second attempt at the record.

It fun to think that I've been apart of two attempts to break a Guinness Book World Record. The first two just missed, so the third time is probably the charm.

Read the link below to hear more about my attempt 5 years ago!

http://www6.miami.edu/news/everitas/2007-08/08-23-07.html

Don't be a Victim

I was recently speaking with a group of friends and we started talking about life. We discussed how people of action truly live life.

We also discussed how people who complain and blame never go anywhere. We said they become victims. I had to look up the definition.

victim |ˈviktəm|
noun
a person harmed, injured, or killed as a result of a crime, accident, or other event or action.
• a person who is tricked or duped : the victim of a hoax.
• a living creature killed as a sacrifice.

PHRASES
fall victim to be hurt, killed, damaged, or destroyed by : many streams have fallen victim to the recent drought.

ORIGIN late 15th cent. (denoting a creature killed as a religious sacrifice): from Latin victim.

This is when I made the quote:
"Blaming and Complaining allows us to be victimized"
My friends had me improve the quote:
"When you Blame and Complain you victimize yourself!"

The American Way has become to blame someone else or complain. We don't take any personal responsibility for our actions or choices. We just blame and complain and go no where. The people of action do something to make a change. They don't allow themselves to be hurt, duped, fooled, injured or sacrificed.

The next time you spend a huge amount of time blame and complaining, realize all you're doing is make yourself the victim. You are allowing yourself to be hurt, duped, fooled, injured, sacrificed or killed!

I don't think you want those things to happen. Turn and face the dangers don't allow yourself to be a victim.

Do you Dread Life? (Part II)

dread |dred|
verb [ trans. ]
anticipate with great apprehension or fear : Jane was dreading the party | [with infinitive ] I dread to think what Russell will say.
• archaic regard with great awe or reverence.

Has life turned out the way you expected? Do you like your job? Do you like your situation in life? Do you feel things are harder for you than others? Do you have a hard time getting out of bed? Do you constantly ask yourself, "why me?" Do you feel your job hinders your life more than making it happen?

I can truly type that I ask and answer the questions above. Most of my blog posts show off the good points of my life, but every now and then I'll post something about the not so good.

Today is the not so good, or the truth about being an aspiring professional speaker.

Over five years ago, I began the adventure to pursue something I am truly passionate about. I'll admit, I've done things right and I've made more than a few mistakes. Through it all I was working towards my passion. The problem is, there are lots of roadblocks, detours and natural disasters that occur when you are chasing after your passion. These are days when you can't work on your passion. These days can lead to you dreading life. The question is, what will you do to change that dread.

Many people have heard the comment "starving artist" or "struggling artist." They are so true. When I have to the opportunity to speak and perform, the feeling is amazing. They pay is "really" good and I feel alive. Then just like that, I can go weeks or months before I feel that way again. As I said, the pay is and can be "really" good when you are working, but when you're not working, you're not getting paid. The fear of how do I live and support my family become very overwhelming. I am forced to find other forms of income.

Life is not easy. We have responsibilities. Many of them are financial. When you're not getting paid you have to find ways to pay the bills. For me, this means looking for work or in many cases Part-time jobs. Everyone thinks I should be able to get a great job with not problem. I wish that was true. I can't even get an interview. Over the years, I've chosen to accept a variety of part-time jobs. Many of these jobs make me feel less than I am because there is no sense of satisfaction, no real purpose or goal, the pay stinks (Companies, minimum wage doesn't meet minimum living standards) and motivation to enjoy life is very low.

I have a great resume, college education, great references, a ton of experience and a proven track record of successes. But, just like so many, I'm left scratching my head wondering why I can't find something satisfying and will pay the bills and allow me and my wife to save for the future or treat ourselves to the occasional treat. I often think how can we have a family living this way.

When I'm not speaking, I put us situations that allows unsatisfying jobs to dictate our lives.

Over the years, I've applied to work several jobs. Some, I said I would never work or apply for. Some have been better than expected, but most have been what was expected. A few examples are below

I spent time renting cars for Enterprise Rental Cars. It was advertised as management job. it wasn't. They may go down as the worst employer I have EVER worked for. If you're ever thinking about working for them, don't do it.

I worked for the Phoenix Zoo. It was a good three years. I learned a lot and met lots of good people, but working for a non-profit doesn't pay your bills and the commute was just too long. Thank you Oil companies for affordable fuel.

Right now I work at Bed, Bath and Beyond (BBB). I stock shelves, work a register and clean toilets at night. I feel really glamorous after performing in front of hundreds of people one night, I change lives. The next day the ego takes a hit by working retail. I get tired of hearing why are you here, you could do so much better. Or I hear "why aren't you a manager, you act like one." (I teach and train managers and leaders nationwide) I often ask myself. "Why am I here?" BBB has proven to me why I got out of retail so many years ago. Retail is not fun to work in. Customers aren't happy because of poor customer service and low quality merchandise. Retailers say they believe in "customer service," but most of the time they just want you to push items on customers that are poor quality and no one wants. Which is the opposite of customer service. There are many times where corporate decisions leave employees performing damage control while being yelled at by customers. I'll admit BBB is flexible with my schedule. Most jobs probably would have fired me by now, but to be honest I have no motivation to go to work other than collecting a check in the attempt to pay our bills (my college loan and other bills I racked up pursuing my education.). I have no long term future with BBB and it will probably be shorter after posting this blog. But, the honesty really makes me feel better.

I do have two things I enjoy doing. I'm working as a Food Tour guide in Phoenix, Arizona and working as Respite Care provider for a local non-profit. I really like the work I do for them, but the hours aren't consistent, which means I'm always on the lookout for other ways to fill the gaps. That's right, outside of speaking, I'm working three jobs. All of this just to attempt to pay the bills. I'm not complaining, but I do expect more of myself. I know I can do so much more.

I've applied for hundreds of jobs in the poor economy with no results. I've appeared on CNN and submitted articles to magazines. The rules of work hard, get an education and be rewarded are quickly becoming a fantasy. Truth is you can't just expect to be given a job. You can't rely on people you don't know to care about you. You can't put your fate in the hands of the wrong people. The United States wasn't built by people who said, "I'm going to the US to find a job." it was built by people who said they were going to make something happen.

I'm learning that you have to work hard and pursue what you are passionate about. The days I get to coach, speak or perform in front of people are the days I wake up ready to live life.

The days I have to wake up wondering what bill collectors is going to call, I go to jobs I don't like and I expect things to just happen that don't happen are the days I end up dreading.

The rules are changing. We all have to adjust to a new world. The days a good education leading to a good job are over. That expectation is greater than reality. When your expectations are greater than reality you will live a life of dread. We have to adjust to new realities and start making things happen. You have to pursue work that is satisfying and allows you to pursue a passion. This will motivate you to live life and not to live a life of dread. Learn from my experiences. Everyday I look for a job or perform just a job, it's not a good day. When I rely on people who don't know me or care about me, I get let down and dread what's next.

I was told recently that JOB = just over broke. I was also told to look up the definition of job in the dictionary. It said, Hebrew word meaning persecuted. I also have a friend that says we are meant to work, not to job.

The days I don't dread waking up are the days that I am chasing my dreams. They require a lot of work. The days I am working to make my dreams happen are fulfilling. I enjoy the days where I am rewarded spiritually, emotionally, mentally, physically and fiscally for that work the I have done and believe in.

When none of the above happens, that is when we dread life. For me dreading life is about being forced to work jobs that don't advance me personally or professionally.

Don't be a victim of dread! Look yourself in the mirror and make something happen. Everytime I do that, good things happen!

Hudson Valley Community College

Next Wednesday, February 29th, I will be in Albany, NY to speak at Hudson Valley Community College. If you are in the area, please feel free to stop by and here me speak with my speaking partner Rodger Campbell. We are the BAD BAD Apples and we inspire people to experience success.

Get Naked

In December, I did a speech at Grand Canyon University in Arizona. The speech was on Drama and how it effects your life. During the speech I showed a slide that read "Get Naked."

Get Naked meant that we had to be honest with ourselves and the people around us. We often hide behind smoke and mirrors to make things appear real or better than they are. This false front supposedly will make us feel better, but all it really does is make us feel empty and causes us to lie to ourselves.

During my blog writing experience, there are times when I have been very "naked" and shared my true feelings and thoughts. There have also been points where I have only shown the good things. I did this to keep people motivated and inspired. I've learned over the years, that when I'm am truly honest and naked, people connect more with me and this blog. People are attracted to genuine people, thoughts, ideas and experiences.

Typing this blog is a little bit of therapy for me. When I'm feeling down, I can go and read the blog to lift my spirits. I can also use this blog to express my feelings in cyber space to clear my mind and not choke people or lash our in anger/emotion. It can be very calming.

I'll admit there are a lot of mistakes in spelling and grammer, but no one is perfect. We enjoy seeing that people are not perfect. I am far from it. I'm just good at being me and I thank all of you for reading about me to see what I'm up too. As always this blog is typed so I can Educate, Inspire and Entertain. There will be good days and not so good days that I will share, but it's me showing who I really am, sharing my thoughts and ideas. You may connect with some, you may not, but at least you'll know I'm being real.

Thank you for continuing t read. My goal is to post at least two blogs a week this year. Sometimes there will be more, sometimes there will be less. As long as I hit 104 by the end of 2012, all will be good. Feel free to suggest blogs for me to write.

You can e-mail me at Frank@badbadapples.com