Did you ever had that moment where you are sitting in a room full of people and some contest was going on? Then suddenly the crowd’s attention goes up and the speaker on stage says: “And the Winner is…” a couple of seconds filled with extra silence…and then your name pops up! What? Was that my name? Sure? People start to look your way and spots find a way to you. You get up and slowly move towards the stage. Almost there, you realize this is actually happening! And you start to smile

This is exactly what happened to me a couple of days ago! Where was I and what was going on? Let me start from the beginning. As you know, I am a public speaker and share my message regularly on stage. Several friends asked me if I would join the Professional Speakers Assiociation (PSA). I am already a member of so many organisations that I intended to decline. People from all over the world suggested me to do that, some insisting more than others So, finally, last tuesday, I decided to join PSA Holland, the Dutch chapter (no Belgian yet!) of the Global Speakers Federation (GSF). One of the goals that I made that day was to be on stage for them on their next convention (honestly I was thinking of 2011!). And I enrolled for the PSA Holland 2010 Convention immediately afterwards. This convention took place last weekend.

So, upon arriving, I registered and started to network a bit. Jan Vermeiren was also present and he introduced me to some of the people he knew. One of them was Christine Morlet, negociation expert and organizer of the “Elevator Pitch”-challenge. She asked if I where interested in joining a game and of course I said yes, actually not sure what I said yes too Anyway, she explaines that at this PSA convention they are holding an “Elevator Pitch”-contest. The only thing I need to do, is present myself on stage in less than 120 words and less than 2 minutes. Most participants enrolled for it before the event and some backed off and so she was a couple of contestants short. So, I volunteered. Was that smart? I’ll answer that later on…

I presented my “Elevator Pitch” and was already satisfied that I got the visibility, let alone the feedback from the jury. It was well organized and they had a life voting-system (Sendsteps for more info). Because I was sitting behind the camera-man, I wasn’t really paying much attention to the scoreboard. But you know what happened next, right? Exactly! Before I knew it, I was on my way to the stage and jumped right on it! With a big smile, because I had won! And the Winner is Bert Verdonck with 52% of the votes (Can you believe it?)! Yes, the first price is a relax weekend in the Provence (France), thanks for asking

What just happened here?

Let me share you my personal “Elevator Pitch” according to the above rules and share some of the feedback that I got, from the jury and other participants.

“Most professional speakers are always looking for an audience, right? How fast can you be on stage before your target audience? We all want a shortcut! As the newest PSA Holland member, I did it in less than 3 days to be here in front of you! That is exactly what I do. Shortcuts! With Genius Shortcuts I teach you practical tools and tips to save you 2 hours/day or hack away other frustrations. I am a lifehacker and I help people through keynote speaking, trainings and workshops. So, think about how you would feel if one of your biggest frustrations disappeared forever? Come and see me afterwards and I will share free Genius Shortcuts so you can feel happier!”

Some of the feedback that I received:

• Relaxed, great & pleasant voice, to the point, looked at the audience and the jury, great timing, radiant, great connection with the audience, fully present on stage, you walk your talk: you speak easy & simple, very good pitch, clear message from the start, well developed pitch, great impact, engaging, surprising opener, good pause and excellent posture.
• Points to improve: wear your jacket (I forgot to put it on before walking on stage!), take more time (I only used 1 min instead of 2, so more room for extra details), not always clear what it really is about (lifehacking?), start smiling before you get on stage, explain better, give more examples, can be more confident, a bit too vague and explain more who your target audience is.

I am really thankful for all the feedback that I got and I am looking forward to sharpen this elevator story even more.

Why do I tell you all this? So you know how important it is to know your own Elevator Pitch. And to look for your Genius Shortcuts to find an audience or clients faster. Of course, it is also proof that you don’t have to be a longtime member to get the necessary visibility. Finally, it is important to receive feedback from other professionals, so that you improve. If no one ever tells you what you could do to improve, you don’t move forward, let alone become better at what you do…

As part of Crew 11, I was in charge of interviewing drivers about their awareness of e-waste issues. Here where my questions :

• How did you hear about eDay?
• What is the main reason for bringing your computer waste here today?
• If there was no eDay, how would you dispose of your computer waste?
• What other e-waste do you have that you would like to recycle?
• Would you like to hear about today’s results and eDay updates via email?

By giving back to the community and in this case a project that fits rather well with what I do. My public speaking, training and coaching about Genius Shortcuts is mainly focused on using the computer in an easier, more efficient way. So, it makes perfect sense to contribute some of my time to an event like eDay.  Most of you already know that I dedicate about 10% of my time to charities and good causes. Our main project is Go Bananas, which will get a kiwi chapter in the near future…

Although we had rain and quite some wind, lots of people where bringing in their e-waste. These are the results of our eDay : 1,128 cars bringing in 46 tonnes of e-waste! In total 16,391 cars delivered 966 tonnes of e-waste! An awesome result! If you want to know more about e-waste and eDay in particular, I recommend you to visit eDay’s official website.

Oh, did I tell you several famous Kiwis attended this event? One of them was Peter Fox (Olympics – Sailing), who participated at our North Shore City event.

So, what did you do this weekend to contribute?

Now, here is an interesting story on how small the world can be…

Paul was asked to write an article for a Belgian think-thank organisation VKW Metena (Dutch). He was doing some research and thought about creating a link with Dale Carnegie. Dale lost everything during the crisis of 1929, before building a new empire, becoming the expert on “positive motivation” and interpersonal skills.

Why do I tell you this? Well, while using Google to find background info on Dale Carnegie, he saw an interesting link to Dale Carnegie’s Golden Book. Although Paul has read most (if not all) of his books, he did not recall this particular one. So, he clicked on it and to his surprise arrived at my blog! Yes, last year I wrote an article on this Golden Book sharing Dale Carnegie’s insights.

Now, isn’t it mindblowing to find my blog on the 3rd place in Google, while researching Dale Carnegie? At least that’s what Paul was thinking (in fact, me too!) As a lifehacker, I confirm that I use several Genius Shortcuts to improve not only my life, but also my Google ranking.

Everyone has his specialty and for those who haven’t seen Paul live yet, he is an outstanding public speaker! I’ve seen him already on several occasions and every time I am blown away by how good he really is! So, your next chance to see Paul is on the 12th May in Ghent. Next to Tomas Vieira and Ben Decock, he is hosting a seminar on “Managing without Ego”. In fact this seminar is not only about “Managing without Ego” (Tomas), but also about “Managing without Time” (Paul) and “Managing without Worries” (Ben).  I was told that they bring inspired ideas for unlearning the past and revealing an abundant future! Laughing is a genuine part of this seminar, so bring your smile

Enjoy Easter,

Bert Verdonck
Lifehacker & Life Coach
Create, Connect & Contribute

Every nation has a Declaration of Independence and so a focus on national interest. XL Nation as the world’s first global nation will have a Declaration of Interdependence. It will have a focus on global interest that is inclusive not exclusive. This means that our ability to sign federation agreements with charities, learning institutions, other organisations and eventually other nations as either service providers or program partners will be an important part of our growth in influence and scale towards achieving World Wide Wealth.

Now you know why we are here: to achieve World Wide Wealth.

Within XL1.0, by 2008 the amount of value being delivered was phenomenal – over 2,000 events around the world, content, learning delivered every week in stories, magazines, 24 hour radio, videos. The problem was most even the most active members would only ever get to 5% of this value, which made it a very inefficient and ineffective use of resources. In XL2.0, the focus of XL Nation should be 100% on Effective Giving.

When Roger Hamilton & Dave Rogers started the XL Results Foundation in 2001, their vision was a way to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals without needing to rely on governments or other institutions. What better way then bringing entrepreneurs together could have achieved this? Today the history continues and we are creating the next chapter.

So, where are we now? Well today, the Bali Convention takes place and about 10% of the Founding Members Citizens of XL Nation are there to sign the Declaration of Interdependence. The new flag will presented and several speeches will inspire us even more. Our XL Vision 2020 is growing and more is being donated every day!

What can you do to step up? Join XL Nation now and start giving effectively! If you need a hand, let me know…

Now it’s time to celebrate the birth of a new nation! Party time

Enjoy every day,

Bert Verdonck
Lifehacker & Life Coach

In 2008 I have dedicated about 10% of my time to contribute to these initiatives.

Our main charity projects is Go Bananas. Our goal was to find a way to help Kevin Allen, the Banana Man, with his amazing goal of providing 1,000,000 meals for the forgotten orphans in Zululand, South Africa. We decided to step up and set ourselves an ambitious goal of 10%, which is a whopping 100,000 meals.

As most of you already know we created a challenge for ourselves to walk 100 km (60 miles) in 1 day. Supporters could sponsor us for every km we walked. We also found a number of corporate sponsors and presented several banana deals.

With additional help and events, we received more money. We finally calculated the new total and we are so happy!

We gave € 6,417 to Banana Appeal in total!

This means that we surpassed our ambitious goal and more children will be fed thanks to all our sponsors and supporters. This eye-wathering result made us realize how great we have it in our own life. Not only do we have a roof over our head, but also plenty of food, drinks and even a car. We go on holidays and enjoy time with friends and family. I feel so grateful every day! Do you too?

Coming back to Go Bananas, we enrolled to participate in a radio quiz Quizt’t on Radio 2. This Thursday 26th March, we’ll be headed to the studios in Ghent with several supporters. So, if you are willing to support us, you are most welcome to join us too! We need at least 20 supporters! Mail me and I’ll send you the details. The winner of the quiz takes € 1,000, which would be a great start for 2009!

Of course, we are still accepting gifts for Go Bananas as well. This year will be a special year and I’ll be back with updates and plans for 2009 later.

In the meantime, think about your own actions to step up and give back to society and charities. Now would be a great time to take that extra step! And if you can’t choose which one, give me a call, we always welcome extra support for Go Bananas!

Have a great week,

Bert Verdonck
Lifehacker & Life Coach

In the meantime, download my audio CD, learn several genius shortcuts and benefit from the extra time that it saves you…

Have a great day,
Bert Verdonck
Lifehacker & Life Coach

In the afternoon, I will be participating in the XL Power UP meeting, a classic (not quite ) gathering of London’s XL Life Members.

And tonight I’ll be co-presenting the infamous XL Momentum session, together with Tracy Julliard. In the footsteps of worldclass speakers like John DeMartini, Mike Harris and Roger Hamilton, Triumphant Events set the stage for a fantastic evening! Our goal is to bring clarity on why XL World was created. On top of that, we’ll share insights in social media and shortcuts (lifehacks!) to help all members achieve more online through XL World.

Tomorrow I’ll be hosting my first workshop for women entrepreneurs in London. Gaia Gold is a brilliant new network, gaining interest very fast with several outstanding women taking the lead. “Genius Shortcuts for a Flourishing Life” will be focusing on how to work more efficiently, to create more time for yourself. I’ll share several tips & tricks, when applied, that will alter every participants’ life (forever?)!

Tomorrow evening I have a “next steps” meeting with Tracy Julliard. After a debrief from the XL Momentum event, we are definitely accelerating to second gear Also several products are being created. Oh, by the way, did I mention that as an XL Life Member, you can already enroll for our first Webinar : XL World : Extraordinary Results Online! Book your ticket right now!

Stay tuned, I’ll be back for more

Enjoy every day,

Bert Verdonck
Lifehacker & Life Coach
Create, Connect & Contribute

The online network is a very exciting, and welcome, addition to the XL membership allowing XL members to find and connect with other XL members both locally and internationally. Members can now share challenges and successes, post opportunities for contribution and collaboration at a level we’ve not yet been able to do.

I invite you to join us on Monday, 9th February in London as Tracy Stallard and myself tell you why the online network was launched, what role it will play in helping you achieve the XL 2020 Vision and more importantly… how to use it in the most effective and efficient way possible!

Whether you have yet to join XL World or you are already using it to improve your business and meet your fellow XL members, enroll for this XL Momentum now, because this one is definitely for you! With an interactive step-by-step “How To” session talking you through the basics, showing you some easy to implement features and a Q&A session for those with more specific questions, we have something for everyone!

Looking forward to meet you in London on the 9th February!

Enjoy every day,

Bert Verdonck
Lifehacker & Life Coach
Create, Connect & Contribute

Waarom? Mijn andere activiteiten zijn de laatste tijd zo aan het boosten dat het mij dwingt om keuzes te maken. Helaas!

De club is in uitstekende handen bij Erwin & Steven. Zij zetten de ingeslagen weg verder…dus blijven komen hé

Ook mijn rol als clubleider van de Belgian Blackstars heb ik ondertussen doorgegeven aan Geert. Ecademy Mumbai gaf ik over in de capabele handen van Nikhil Wad. In het kader van Ecademy, run ik nu nog enkel “The Lifehacking Club”. Of course

Ik wil hierbij iedereen bedanken die de afgelopen jaren heeft bjigedragen tot het succes van Ecademy Antwerpen, de Belgian Blackstars en Ecademy Mumbai.

Geert, Erwin, Steven en Nikhil, ik wens jullie heel veel succes met de verder uitbouw en kijk uit naar toekomstige activiteiten.

 
Enjoy every day,

Bert Verdonck
Lifehacker & Life Coach

Dan is deze lifehacking cursus iets voor jou!

In deze Open Cursus wordt u ingeleid in de wereld van lifehacking. Niet alleen high-tech shortcuts, maar ook eenvoudige, alledaagse trucjes worden u aangeleerd. De meeste mensen zijn zich niet bewust van de soms kleine subtiliteiten die het verschil kunnen maken tussen een gefrustreerd, moeizaam leven of een makkelijker en efficiënter leven.

Enkele concrete voorbeelden van de lifehacks die aan bod zullen komen :

* Beter, sneller en efficiënter opvolgen van emails
* Het “Pile, don’t file”-systeem
* 3 keer sneller leren lezen
* Sterk reduceren van de tijd die u besteedt aan het schrijven van emails (bv. 100 in 1 uur?)
* 200 beelden in 20 seconden bekijken
* 300 websites volgen in 30 minuten

Datum: vrijdag 21 november 2008

Programma:
Ontvangst & netwerking: 8u30
Module 1: 9u – 10u40
Pauze: 10u40 – 11u
Module 2: 11u – 12u40
Lunch: 12u40 – 13u30
Module 3: 13u30 – 14u30
Pauze : 14u30 – 14u50
Module 4: 14u50 – 16u

Prijs: 495 €, exclusief BTW

Locatie: Best Western Congreshotel Ter Elst, Ter Elststraat 310, 2650 Edegem.

Opmerking: omdat we zo zeker zijn van de kwaliteit van onze Open Cursus geven we u 100% garantie. Bent u om één of andere reden niet tevreden, dan krijgt u het integrale bedrag teruggestort!

Schrijf u nu in op deze Lifehacking Open Cursus:

21 November 2008

12th December 2008

Gewoon op de datum klikken om in te schrijven

Ik kijk er naar uit om jullie daar te ontmoeten!

Enjoy every day,

Bert Verdonck
Lifehacker