However, I believe there is one thing many of us use that is helping more of us watch live TV:

Twitter.

We have all been there. The Grammys, Super Bowl, a new episode of Modern Family, season finale of Lost, but for one reason or another you can’t watch it live. No problem, “I will tivo it.” Then you get on twitter and there’s a massive stream of opinions, quotes, pictures, and information about whatever you were going to watch.

People want to get in on the conversation. While it may be more convenient to watch later, we will sacrifice that to join in on the hot topic…right then!

Does Twitter make you watch more live TV? Or do you just avoid the relevant tweets until you have caught up?

Are you?

Purpose can be a tricky thing. A purpose can be overwhelming, confusing, and often seem just plain unobtainable. Is a purpose just one thing? Is it daily? Does everyone have one?

As a follower of Christ, I have greater purpose that I am called to… that we are all called to. But I also know I was designed with specific gifts, attributes that are different between me and you.

So how do we use our greater purpose as the foundation in finding and living out our individual purpose, our game-changer. our difference?

We love the time so much that we want to open it up for you. Next month we want to invite anyone and everyone to come hang out with us for an hour and write some blog posts, for your business or for your own site. We will send out a date and time soon on Twitter, so make sure you follow us @eyespeak and we look forward to having you invade our office!

2.) Amazing Stunt Plane: I have been so fascinated by the Red Bull Air Races for a long time. This video shows why these guys (or one guy in this video) are out of their minds

3.) iPhone Case Mirror: I have a feeling this could come in handy at times

4.) How to Make Sure Someone Will Buy Your App: When the trial runs out on this application it doesn’t lock like most apps. It does something way way worse, it turns all the text in the app into Comic Sans

5.) Edible Emergency Book: In case you get lost with no food in the desert while riding in your Land Rover, you can eat the survival guide in case it gets a little desperate. 

1. Google more. Find someone who knows more than you do. Ask them what they do if they don’t know the answer to something. I would guess 90% of them will have the same answer: They Google it. So be intentional, think about what you want to learn more about and Google it!
2. Seek to learn something from everyone who you talk to. I once read the key to being humble is to think of everyone you come in contact with as an opportunity to learn something. Ask, listen, repeat.
3. Read books on things that don’t interest you. Naturally, you are going to learn more about things that interest you, so take the extra time to read about what doesn’t interest you.
4. Ask for criticism. While it may not be fun at first, you WILL learn more about yourself and how you operate. Using a simple Google Doc survey is an easy way to ask the people you work most with how you can improve.

Let me use my 5th tip (ask others how they continually work to get smarter) on you: What tips do you use to continue learning?

I think it goes to our human emotional core and desire to be pursued. We want to be sought after. We want to be found.

Proverbs 25:2 says:  It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.

Why does God hide things from us? The timing might not be right or He just doesn’t want us to know everything in his plan. I think this verse lets us in on something a little deeper. God wants us to seek Him out. He is glorified when we search for the things he has concealed to us. It’s something personal that He lays out so we can discover more about ourselves and learn more about His character.

You have been invited to a cosmic game of ‘hide and seek.’ Wanna play?

Note: the inspiration for this post came from a video I saw a few months ago. I can’t find it, if you know the video I am talking about post it in the comments and I’ll send you a virtual hug.

2.) The Avengers: In honor of Summer Movie Season upon us here is an awesome trailer for The Avengers

3.) Impressive Marionette performance: This is a lost art

4.) Dr. Evil’s Dream Come True: How awesome is this?

5.) Finger Food Picks: Unnecessary but really cool

Here are three steps to lead you down the path of successful copy writing:

1. Work to get a solid sitemap before you begin copy.
Starting with a site map will give you a framework to begin the copy. It also addresses many questions you may have when writing the copy upfront.

2. Finish as much copy as possible before consulting with someone else.
When I write copy for clients I always get as far as I can with no help before I review with them. This helps me get everything out of the way upfront so we use our review time most effectively. There likely will be sections you need help on, even if you are a business owner. Collaborating is great and can be very helpful, but make sure you have used your knowledge and insite before you bring someone else in to look at it.

3. Carry your brand flavors through the copy.
Before we start on a project we work with our clients to establish their brand flavors. These adjectives should be woven not only through design but even down to the copy. If your flavors are fun, joyful, exciting, and friendly your copy will read much differently than that of a company with the flavors enlightening, professional, focused, and helpful.

The words/tone/structure of your website can be just as effective as the visuals. So work hard to make them just as powerful and reflective of the brand you want to portray!

There are a surprising number of similarities between how a football franchise and a business construct their teams:

• The right balance of skills- you can neither build a team full of wide receivers nor a business full of designers.  There are too many other critical functions that have to be done to survive, let alone thrive.
• Cross training- cross functional skills in players have become an added value to both individual players and the teams they play on.  This comes into play in a couple of ways:
• the ability to absorb the unexpected and the normal ebbs and flows of business
• the ability to utilize this advantage strategically

In the NFL, players often play a skill position as well as on special teams.  At eyespeak, we train our account managers to use design programs and web CMS so that they can make basic content edits.  This frees up our designers and developers from unscheduled, usually urgent, interruptions and keeps them focused on what they do best.

• Salary Cap- whether you have a stated number or not, you have one.  We’re all limited by financial, practical & operational issues that decide the size and compensation of our team.  How well you manage this is a huge predictor of success.
• Character- You’ve probably heard the character question surrounding certain NFL players and prospects.  The idea is that their personality and/or off field conduct affect the team (ie The T.O. effect).  I like to flip that question around and ask whether or not the personality and outside work life will add to the chemistry of our team.  If you’re wondering about negative impact, you should already have your answer.  The teams with the most wins over the past ten years: Patriots, Colts and Steelers all focus on team character & chemistry. During that time, those 3 teams account for 5 of 10 championships and only once in the last 10 years has one of those 3 teams not made the Super Bowl.

What do you focus on when you put your team together?  How do you evaluate individual players?  Is your team built in a way to win sustainably over time or just for today?