Jim Cathcart
Jim Cathcart is a Hall of Fame professional speaker, a sales consultant, a strategic advisor to ATRA, and a regular contributor to GEARS. You may reach him at Cathcart.com or send him a message through GEARS. See his 110 video lessons for free at Thrive15.com/acorn.
My staff and I were discussing job assignments and “Role Descriptions” of what they were paid to do. I asked the office manager, “What is the purpose of management?” She replied, “Maintaining an efficient flow of work.” I disagreed. An efficient flow of the wrong type of work or the right work done at the […]
I love racing! Drag races, NASCAR, Formula One, Moto GP, motocross, dirt track, stock cars, mud racing, foot races, horse races, heck, even turtle races. It’s just fun to watch and to compete. I was jogging about five miles a day many years ago and felt pretty confident in a foot race. A coworker, Glenn, […]
One time, back in the 1990s, a speakers’ agent sent me a speaking contract with some of the most oppressive terms I’d ever seen. It effectively implied that I was not trustworthy, requiring that I confirm, verify, and comply with every imaginable restriction or requirement. It was shocking because I regularly dealt with the world’s […]
Last year, I moved from Thousand Oaks, California to Austin, Texas. Of course, Austin is the home of the University of Texas. The school’s Brand Identity is composed of the Longhorn Mascot, its orange and white school colors, several logos, and “Hook ’em Horns,” accompanied by its raised forefinger and pinky finger hand signal. When […]
With 2022 just one calendar page turn away, we should consider the possibilities for the new year. Think of this article as a collage of random thoughts and ideas to consider – let’s call them “ponderables.” ROADS When you choose a road, you choose the journey and the destination by default. If this is the […]
During the 1960s and 70s, there was a radio program called Our Changing World, featuring Earl Nightingale, “The Dean of Personal Motivation.” He was on more than 900 radio stations worldwide. I heard him one day in 1972 and was so inspired by his message that I set about to change my life, and I […]
In 1976, I joined my first and primary professional industry association, The National Speakers Association (NSA). As a speaker, trainer, and consultant whose primary business was delivering keynote speeches and seminars, that was the logical association for me. Before that, I was also a member of the American Society for Training and Development, today named […]
One of the quickest ways to succeed at anything is to stop doing whatever takes you away from your target or interferes with your focus on the goal. That frees up energy and resources for the main tasks. My friend and colleague, Joe Calloway, is known for a speech he gives titled “Let It Go!” […]
My client in China once asked me, “What words come to mind when you think of China?” I replied, “Culture, History, and Tradition.” Then I asked him what words came to his mind when he thought about America. His reply was so fast that it startled me, “Freedom!” From the view outside of our country, […]
“It’s not the Quantity of Time you spend with someone. What counts most is the Quality of Time with them.” This popular myth has been communicated for decades without much challenge – until today. I hereby register my formal complaint as to the accuracy or usefulness of that claim. Before you get concerned over my […]
“What do you do?” That’s the most common “getting to know you” question in America. Just about equal to “Where are you from?” The odd thing is, though all of us get these questions throughout our lives, we seldom have a really good answer for them. Hmmm. Seems we’d be better prepared, doesn’t it? ELEVATOR […]
For 18 blissful years, I’ve been a member of the “Heartbreak Hiking Fools.” This is a group of over-55-year-old fitness enthusiasts based in Thousand Oaks, California. Every Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday, we meet at a trailhead and go on a 6-mile roundtrip hike to one of many peaks in the Santa Monica Mountains. Our regimen […]
An agreement is a contract for mutual benefit – I get something, you get something. It also states any limits to the mutually agreed terms and conditions. We agree to do and/or not do certain things, and that’s the extent of the contract. Anything beyond the scope of the agreement is not part of the […]
“Dr. Phil” McGraw is famous for asking his TV show guests what they’re doing about a particular problem in their life. Then when he hears their reply, he asks, “How’s that working for you?” That’s his way of illuminating that the approach they’ve persisted in taking is not working. Do you ever feel like that? […]
If I don’t struggle, I won’t improve. As I sat at the big round dining table with my Chinese hosts in Shanghai a few years ago, I struggled with my chopsticks. The restaurants would often bring silverware to Western guests, but I’d wave it off and insist on chopsticks. In China, the food is served […]
Is it time to move to a new location? A new state? Who should I vote for – the person or the positions? Should I hire or replace some people soon? Am I having fun yet? In the wake of COVID-19, many of you are considering new strategies and other significant life decisions. Consequently, I’ve […]
“I think I’ll have myself a beer!” For many of us, this is a great way to end a day or start a barbecue or celebrate a workout, but, hang on a second before you pop that top. This could be a Critical Decision. Are you about to get in your car and drive your […]
We recently became “reverse Okies.” In the depression era, Okies were the people who fled the “Dust Bowl” of Oklahoma’s drought and headed to California for the weather and better opportunities. You may have seen the movie or read the book Grapes of Wrath. It provides a graphic explanation of the motives and challenges experienced […]
One day, when my grandfather, Clarence Earl Cathcart, Sr. was courting my grandmother, he rode by her house, standing on two horses, riding them in tandem down the road. I guess he was a show-off sometimes like I am now. Earl Senior grew up at the end of the Agricultural Era. Even though he worked […]
As our country begins the process of re-opening, holding a Grand Re- Opening for your business is worth considering. Think like a start-up business. Maybe it’s time the world becomes familiar with your business. Make your business great again! Start with the assumption that today is the first day of your new business. How are […]
