101 Life Lessons Learned From Wearing A Nametag 24-7

On April 24th, 2006, I took the day off to celebrate62. If a strange man named Stephen starts showing
and reflect on the past 2000 days of wearing aup at your office, it's probably a good idea to get a
nametag 24-7.I challenged myself to come up with anew job.
list of 101 Life Lessons Learned. It wasn't easy, but I63. Tom Peters was right: dull encounters = dull you;
finally finished the list this morning.I was always told,cool encounters = cool you.
"Don't tell 'em what you did, tell 'em what you64. Stop worrying about which side of you chest to
learned."Therefore, here are 101 life lessons I'vewear a nametag. Nobody cares. They only care if
learned from wearing a nametag 24-7 for the pastthey can read your name from ten feet away.
2000 days. Enjoy!1. Friendly always wins.65. You'd be surprised how many strangers will grab,
2. Be the first one.touch, poke and molest your chest (and therefore
3. Be the only one.violate your personal space) if you wear a nametag.
4. Be a sleeper.66. When people ask you, "So, what do you do?"
5. Be interesting.make your answer memorable, valuable and unique. If
6. Be UNFORGETTABLE.their response isn't "Hmm, that's interesting..." or
7. Be the world's expert on yourself."Cool!" you need to rework your answer. Remember,
8. Be somebody who reminds everybody of nobodyeven the most boring jobs can be explained in an
else in the world.UNFORGETTABLE way.
9. It's really hard to beat up a stranger if you know67. Authenticity, not charisma.
his name.68. Fans, not customers.
10. Nametags are NOT about you. They're about69. Never underestimate the power of
everyone in the world except you. Don't boycottapproachability.
them. Wear your nametag for other people. Always.70. People buy people first.
11. Jack Canfield was right: if everybody says you're71. Find a way to make people stop, think and say,
out of your mind, you just might be onto something."Wow!"
12. Everybody is somebody's somebody.72. Create encounters that otherwise would not
13. Never wear a nametag into a strip club.have existed.
14. Never wash your shirt with a nametag still stuck73. The best way to make someone feel
on it.comfortable is through self-disclosure.
15. Never use your older brother's fake ID to get74. Never apologize for your art.
into a bar and then forget to take off your nametag75. Respect people's no's.
at the door.76. The best swimmers are always in the pool.
16. If the Washington Post calls you "The World's77. Find a way to keep yourself visually accountable.
Foremost Authority On Nametags," you may as wellWear a piece of jewelry that symbolizes a personal
take it.value; tattoo a credo on your wrist, whatever.
17. Don't be different, be unique.Anything to keep you consistent. For me, it's really
18. You are what you charge.hard to be a jerk to someone else when I'm wearing
19. Market yourself daily.a nametag, which I do 24-7. Which means I can't be
20. Nametags will not get you dates. If you're aa jerk. (Good!) What about you?
jerk, not even a nametag will make you78. Mother Theresa was right: people don't
approachable.remember what you said; they only remember how
21. Find a way to give yourself away.you made them feel.
22. If you want 10,000 free nametags, you can79. Break the silence. Every day.
always drop the name of the company that80. If you don't smile, they won't believe you.
manufactures them on CNN.81. If you build it, they (might) come.
23. The greatest compliment someone could ever82. What's in a name? Everything. Your character.
give you is: "Thanks for being yourself."Your life. Your brand. Your values.
24. Do not despise the day of small beginnings.83. If you walk into a hotel on New Year's Day
25. Find a daily ritual.wearing a nametag on the tuxedo you slept in,
26. Get a job that people couldn't pay you NOT topeople are probably going to say something.
do.84. If a two year old girl walks up to you in the
27. Nerds, dorks and geeks rule this world.middle of Starbucks, smiles and points at your
28. Give people permission to talk to you.nametag, it's best to peel it off and stick it to her
29. It's not easy to be yourself.hand. Trust me on this one.85. Boredom is the
30. Figure out exactly who you are and then go beenemy.
that person every day.86. In the history of the world, nobody has ever
31. Find a way to paint yourself in a good corner.yelled at another person for "Communicating too
32. Everyone has at least one big idea.much."
33. Own a word.87. Don't try to impress. Inspire first. Then people
34. Be that guy.WILL be impressed.
35. Confidence is king.88. Steve Pressfield was right: when people see you
36. If you really want to show (not tell) people thatbegin to live your authentic lives, it drives them crazy
you're committed to an idea, you can always tattoobecause they're not living their own.
that idea on your chest. They'll never doubt you89. If you wear a nametag around Mexico, locals will
again.more than likely smile at you and simply say, "Mr.
37. The world cannot resist a man on a mission.Escott!"
38. Intentional Discomfort is the greatest teacher of90. If you wear a nametag around Switzerland,
all.locals will more than likely smile and you and simply
39. Everybody should write a book.say, "Bonjour Scott!"
40. Life is not about finding yourself, it's about91. And if you wear a nametag around New York
creating yourself.City, locals will more than likely not smile and simply
41. Validate your existence on a daily basis.say, "Get the hell out of my way, Scott."
42. Do something cool on a daily basis.92. Some people are just not friendly.
43. There's nothing more approachable than93. If you get an email out of the blue from
authenticity.someone who just saw you speak and he said,
44. Consistency is far better than rare moments of"Your speech changed my life," you're probably doing
greatness.a good job.
45. Don't be selfish with your knowledge.94. If you get an email out of the blue from
46. Just because the Today Show sends a camerasomeone who said, "You're nuttier than a bag of trail
crew to St. Louis to follow you around all day doesn'tmix," you're definitely doing a good job.
mean they will actually air your segment. Jerks.95. Coming up with a list of 101 Life Lessons Learned
47. You don't know intimidation until you've given afrom Wearing a Nametag 24-7 for the Past 2000
speech to 300 people who are twice your age, haveDays is pretty hard.
three times your experience and know four times as96. Which is why I'm running short on ideas.
much as you do.97. (Well, almost.)
48. You are an empty sheet of paper in the minds98. I saved the three most important ones for the
of people you encounter.end...99. If a 7 year old kid says he wants to be an
49. You have less than three seconds to create aauthor - then 15 years later actually becomes an
first impression.author - he's probably doing the right thing with his
50. Hate mail is a gift, even if it's true.life.100. If a 19 year old kid wins an award for "The
51. Indiana Jones was right: it's not the years, it's theSpeaker You Could Listen to For Hours," then actually
mileage.becomes a professional speaker 4 years later, he's
52. If you don't have a blog, you're a putz.definitely doing the right thing with his life.101. And if
53. If you don't carry your business cards with youall of that stuff happened to him simply because he
wherever you go, you're a putz.decided to wear a nametag 24-7 to make people
54. Make daily appointments with yourself.friendlier, there must be a God.LET ME ASK YA
55. Everyone has a story. And everyone wants toTHIS...
tell that story. So ask them.What was the single biggest learning experience of
56. Smiling will never get you in trouble.your life?LET ME SUGGEST THIS...
57. If someone is wearing a nametag, use theirCompile a list of 101 Life Lessons Learned from that
name. It makes them feel great.experience and email it to me!© 2006 All Rights
58. It's impossible to be too friendly.Reserved.Scott Ginsberg is a professional speaker
59. It's not cool to be an asshole.and the author of HELLO my name is Scott, The
60. It's impossible to be too friendly.Power of Approachability and How To Be That Guy.
61. If a strange man named Stephen starts callingHe helps people MAXIMIZE their personal and
you every single day for three weeks, it's probably aprofessional approachability - one conversation at a
good idea to remove your home phone number fromtime.
your website.