Day: July 16, 2014

  • The feedback on Create or Die is in, and it's badass

    The feedback on Create or Die is in, and it's badass

    I sent out preliminary copies of the book Create or Die to some people, and the feedback I’ve had has been badass. Here’s some of it:

    “Morgan! That was soooo good! And yes I read it ALL.
    I am a voracious reader. There are times I read 3 books a week.
    This is one of the best books I’ve read all year.
    I was inspired from the very first page of chapter 1.”

    – Travis Sago, Entrepreneur

    And this one:

    “One of the most important and provocative books I have read in years. A guide to how to live your life without being manipulated, scared or influenced by others. A cross between Stephen Hawking, Art Bell and Napoleon Hill. Highly recommended.”

    – Geoff Ronning, founder of Stealth Seminar

    Oh, another:

    “I absolutely loved it and your message “To be Healthy, Happy and have financial Security ” is absolutely in ‘your’ hands as long as one taps into their ‘own unique creative abilities/talents’. Your ability to drive home this message was Powerful & Clear. Your chapter on the mechanistic way of functioning in a society coming strictly from the left brain only versus the coming more from the Creative perspective which includes tapping into Love and Beauty is explained really well – I love how you explain how this shows up in peoples outwardly expression: mechanical deprives people of feeling and expressing happiness and joy. I also love how you point out : robots & computers can simply never ‘out-create humans’…… Very well explained in your book – and I know so many ‘out there’ will agree! I resonated deeply with most all of your chapters and I believe your book and all that it addresses is very timely…”

    – Debra Capranos, Holistic Nutritionist

    And how about:

    “You have faced your internal struggles with great courage, and as a result have produced a book that sounds a clarion call to rethink our cultural values. This is a great achievement.

    We both found it easy to read and stay with the text. The underlying ideas are excellent, interesting and well put with plenty of helpful metaphors and analogies.

    I love the emphasis on the value of failure and a vision of where you want to go. (There was a great diagram on Facebook a few weeks ago that illustrates this — see it attached)

    I love that you are writing about the fact that as humans, we can’t NOT create. It’s in our genes. We MUST create – ideas and/or things. The two are inextricable, it is how the life force is evolving through us. By creating ideas, we develop our individual reality. By creating things, we develop our collective reality and culture. And, we CAN control our creativity. These ideas are BIG.”

    – Pat Watt, Retired teacher

    We’re not done…

    “Dr. Morgan Giddings put her own brilliant mind and shared her wisdom and expertise on creativity. As an academic scientist, creativity with integrity is the core to pursue scientific excellence. I enjoy reading this book and agree with the center message of this book: “If you’re not creating, you’re dying.”

    Dr. Gladys Ko, Scientist, Texas A&M

    Oh yeah, oh yeah, another one:

    “This is a home run in so many ways. Most don’t understand the difference between living life asleep in your shoes and being awake creating and changing lives! You covered it so well! Hopefully more readers will wake up and find their creativity and change the world!”

    – Robin Gerhart, Entrepreneur

    And that’s just from a small group of preliminary readers, before any kind of public release.

  • Declaration of Boundary

    Declaration of Boundary

    DECLARATION of BOUNDARY. No more “FREE” ride.

    In the past two years:

    I helped one person get her email list going and get at least 20k worth of new clients, along with building massive momentum forward in her business… for FREE.

    I helped another person clarify his business and immediately double his revenues… along with sorting out a lot of other issues holding him back from building a 500k/yr business… for FREE

    I helped a third person work through personal issues and overcome multiple hurdles in balancing a very challenging day job with building a business… bringing in 10’s of thousands of dollars of clients…for FREE

    and the list goes on (I have more examples, I just don’t want it to become a ridiculously long post)

    Doing this for FREE is disrespectful of myself and my family. It is disrespectful of people who do pay for my help. It is disrespectful to the person receiving the “free” help, because it’s the equivalent of taking without giving, causing a karmic imbalance.

    Each of these people I helped were PAYING other mentors at the time I helped them, and used that as a reason to justify why they wanted to continue getting FREE help and input from me.

    I know that I caused this. Nobody is to blame but myself. I have held poor boundaries on the value of what I do.

    So, this is a public declaration of a new boundary: if you want my help fixing your work, your business, or your life, don’t come to me looking for “FREE.” Nothing is truly “FREE” and you get what you pay for.

    I do damn good work for my clients. I love them and help them deeply. From now on I’ll be focusing all my efforts on those who understand and value that.

    And – if you are someone who likes to approach people and get “free” advice, think about how the world will mirror that back to you in your work or business.

  • Why Private School?

    Sometimes people seem to wonder: if Morgan’s business is going so well, why doesn’t she drive a fancy car or wear fancy clothes?

    One big reason: 3 kids in private school 

    Next question: why private school?

    While I’d love to believe in the idea of public education, it’s current incarnation is anti-creativity and anti-independent thinking.

    By necessity – large class sizes and small budgets – teachers end up giving lots of rote, follow the formula types of work. This teaches kids how to be better calculators, but not how to be more engaged and creative human beings.

    At the end of the day, you get what you pay for, and my kids’ education isn’t something I’m looking for the bargain basement deal on.

  • Parents Freak Out

    Many parents freak out about taking kids for “dangerous” activities like whitewater, mountain biking, and climbing.

    So instead, they keep their kids inside, safely ensconced with butt planted on chair in front of the tv or computer or books. 

    Meanwhile, the kids learn to be afraid. Afraid of adventure and the outdoors. “It’s scary out there!” It might be cold, it might be wet, it might even (*gasp*) cause some scrapes and bruises.

    All the while, the effects of the sedentary lifestyle accumulate, like grains of sand pouring through an hourglass. They pile up, larger and larger, until ultimately the body can’t handle it anymore and it rebels.

    Diabetes, cancer, early heart disease… And more.

    Those are the dangers of Not Doing.

    Given that vastly far more people die from heart disease and cancer than from all outdoor activities (times ten), I’ll choose the so-called risks of the outdoors for my kids, thanks very much.

    And they get to feel the gentle play of the sunshine as they float down beautiful rivers – rather than the fake world of video games that is almost like sensory deprivation in comparison.

    I’m grateful to all you parents who do take your kids outside for adventures! You are doing them a huge favor.