Harlan Teaching "Lean Startup Essentials" at the University of Texas Austin - Spring 2016

This coming semester, I will be teaching Lean Startup Essentials!   The 2-3:30pm section (section 2) still has seats open.  

NOTE: THIS COURSE IS OPEN TO ALL UT STUDENTS ( from any College, not just McCombs School of Business )!

LEAN STARTUP ESSENTIALS (MAN 337) - SPRING 2015

 Tuesdays & Thursdays from    2pm-3:30 in CBA 4.344

If you are a UT Student, you can login with this link to register:

https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/registrar/course_schedule/20162/results/?ccyys=20162&search_type_main=INSTR&instr_last_name=Beverly&instr_first_initial=H&x=34&y=20

Want to know what this course is all about?   
First, hear what some students had to say:
  "great class"
  "awesome teacher"
  "course was awesome"
  "most practical class ... at UT"
  "unique content and very useful"

Okay, interested?  Here's the course description:

This course uses the "Lean Startup" concept as a canvas to give students the essential knowledge needed to either start their own business or join a startup and be a major contributor.  In addition to learning about entrepreneurship, the legal aspects of starting a business, and the life and experience of working at a startup, students will get hands-on skills they can use in any startup or to start their own business.  Every student will practice these skills in-class by building a real startup business (based on a pre-set collection of products and services).  This course focuses on the “Lean Startup” methodology, but will also cover the traditional new venture development and the entrepreneurial process (problem identification, innovation, business plans, fund raising, launching, and managing a startup). This course will also cover the essential knowledge derived from entrepreneurship research covering proven keys to success as well as scientific research about what it takes in an individual and group to succeed in entrepreneurship.  The final project is one of the pre-set business ideas, up, running, and operating in the build-measure-learn cycle that is the core of the “Lean Startup” methodology.

Prerequisites: None.

Need more?  Here's a link to the syllabus for this Spring: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B19bmn5A18VtMTVONVpoSFl4TFU/view?usp=sharing 

Got a question, email me!
harlan.beverly@mccombs.utexas  (and dot edu of course)

Small Thinking; why Austin entrepreneurs need to think bigger!

I teach a class at UT Austin called "lean startup", I also help run the UT Texas Venture Labs and I volunteer at Capital Factory.  I mentor or advise dozens of startups.  I also run my own startup and have started 3.   All this is to say, I am plugged in to startups in Austin.  As with all my blog posts, this is not anything official from UT or anywhere else, just my own opinions.

I see probably 50 (or more) startup pitches per year.  One thing I have noticed recently, since Venture Capital has mostly dried up in Austin and worldwide, people have stopped thinking big.  I see so many deals where "the startup" is really "a product or service".  For example, your app idea, your IoT idea, your new restaurant concept, and so on.  If it could be done on Kickstarter or bootstrapped in a year or two, it's probably not big thinking.

This article is a call to get entrepreneurs to THINK BIGGER!  It is also hopefully a few tips for entrepreneurs to do just that.

First, let me explain what I consider 'small thinking'.  Small thinking is when an entrepreneur is so focused on 'the first product' or 'getting to revenue' that they fail to communicate (or possibly fail to think) what the big picture is.  If you are not thinking past 'your first move', you are playing Startup Chess with a massive handicap.  If you don't have 'a second move', you are failing to plan.  In both cases, you are not THINKING BIG!

Now, let me explain what I consider 'big thinking'.  Big thinking isn't doing, it's thinking, and maybe talking.  Doing is what you are doing first and now (probably being Lean and Agile and building an MVP and focusing on Getting Customers and Feedback)... all very smart and important stuff.  However, while you are off 'Doing' that important stuff, you should be 'thinking' and probably 'communicating' your big vision a bunch more than you are.

Big thinking is having a big vision for wanting to 'change' something.  'Change' is the operative word, and it implies a disruption in the status quo.  Big thinking is having 'the end in mind' before you begin.  This is more than a personal financial goal (which is also important).  This is understanding where your company might play in the big picture of the world.  This requires understanding 'the world' e.g. your market today, and where your market will be after you have risen to power and achieved your 'big vision'.

Here's the problem.  Many companies in Austin simply do not have this 'big vision' in mind for their company.  I ask you, how is your company going to change the world?  How are you going to "shake up" your industry.   If you do not have an answer, then you are not Big Thinking.

I urge you now, go out, and think bigger!  If you do it, WHILE staying focused on "DOING LEAN" there are so many awesome benefits.  Here are some personal examples I will share.

At my first company, Bigfoot Networks, our "big vision" was to End All Lag!  In fact, we even had a website, t-shirts and events, all around "Ending Lag Now!".  We had a clear big picture mission, near 0-latency & 0-lag online gaming.  We were going to change the world... and as a result:

1. The press cared about our story... even though many didn't believe we could do it, it was still a story (rather than a non-story).
2. Employees LIKED working for Bigfoot Networks... we all understood our mission and it gave us energy to tackle the day-to-day "Doing" because we knew where we were 'Going'.  
3. As a result, my attrition rate was lowest at Bigfoot Networks than any other company.  And my recruiting was the easiest.
4. I was able to raise 'big' VC money, not because of our results (which were average), but because of our vision (and technology to back it up).

At Karmaback, my second company, our vision was also clear... we wanted to 'Prove Social Marketing Works", and create analytics behind social network marketing.  What is interesting here is that we did so many 'day to day' "Doing" that did not line up with this goal (to pay the rent) that we ultimately lost sight of this vision... when that happened, we had to sell the company.  It just wasn't honest to say "this contracting job" had anything to do with our vision.  Had we stayed truer to our vision, Karmaback probably would have been even bigger and sold for much more.

So, I hope you can see where I am headed.  Have a big vision, execute on a plan towards doing it, and change the world!   If your company does NOT have a 'change the world plan'... maybe it needs to get one.  Personally, I am on a mission to make sure all my endeavors have one.  At U.T. Austin, "what starts here changes the world"... and I'd like to see all of Austin take the charge and "THINK BIGGER"!

Harlan T. Beverly, PhD + Daughter, think BIGGER in Denali National Park

Otaku Marketing Plans

Otaku is a Japanese term, now used throughout the marketing world, to mean a person or group of people obsessed with a particular topic/problem/or interest.  Recently, I was astonished to learn that there is an Otaku group who are obsessed with a specific kind of ice - nugget ice.   I learned this from doing a deep analysis of what causes IndieGogo campaigns to succeed or fail.  You see, there is an Opal Ice Maker, which does 1 thing ~ makes nugget ice ~ that recently raised $2.5 Million dollars on indiegogo.  And this got me thinking....

Who in their right mind would PRE-ORDER a $450 ice machine?

Clearly, I'm not an Otaku for nugget ice.

But also as clear, this marketing plan worked.  And it was a pretty simple plan really, and had almost NOTHING to do with advertising or promotion.  I've written extensively in the past about marketing plans, and how marketing is SO MUCH MORE than just advertising.  This Opal Ice Maker is clearly a perfect example.   So, what made this successful? And how can you build a marketing plan just like it?

1. The Opal Ice Maker is targeted specifically and exclusively to people who love nugget ice, and would die to have it at home... Clearly, there is a passionate following of nugget ice, and this entire product was built EXCLUSIVELY for that audience.  (I would never buy one, for example).
2. The Opal Ice Maker 'completely' solves the problem of making your own nugget ice at home.... it does exactly what it says it will do, and most people cannot even imaging using 24 pounds of nugget ice at their home, even at a party!
3. They went after and got people who love nugget ice, targeting people who 'like sonic drivethru' (who have the nugget ice), and other chains where people frequent just to get their ice fix.
4. It's not a low price, but a high price... because Otaku people would pay it, and a high price signals quality.

So, to replicate this marketing plan all you need to do is:

1. Find a problem that a very specific small Otaku group have, and are extremely passionate about.
2. Completely solve the problem.
3. Target and reach out to that group directly (ads, PR, gorilla marketing).
4. Charge a high enough price to signal quality.

Now, go out and market!

5 Ways to Test your Startup Idea - Lean

So, you have an idea?  An invention even?  How do you know for sure it is any good? Here is 5 ways you can test your idea without building it first.

1.) create a free website at http://wordpress.com and make 2 pages.  Page 1 describes your idea, and includes a link to Buy Now!  Page 2 says "sorry" out of stock and asks for an email.  Now send everyone you know to the page... And see how many you 'sell'.

2.) Setup some interviews with people who should really want your product/service.  Ask them about the idea and ask how much they might pay for that...  judge the amount as validation!

3.) Go to a trade show and try to hand out a flier about your idea... Judge people's reaction and ask them what they think.

4.) Search the web for similar products and especially for  targey customer types actually complaining about the problem your idea solves.  Hear nothing/find nothing.... Probably not good for your idea.

5.) Make a mockup of your idea and stand at a corner where target customers might walk by.  Ask people if they would like to learn and what they would pay for that. 

The key idea is: will your target customer pay for the idea?

Go out and see BEFORE you build it.

Thats lean startup.

Redefining Intelligence

Yesterday I was lecturing to a bunch of awesome UT Students and I was asked for an example of one of 'my' lighthouse principles.  I said 'fairness', because I do believe in fairness; primarily fairness of opportunity.   When I said this fairness principle applies to 'grading', the students were quite happy about that!

A similar value of mine is 'effort'.  That if people will apply enough effort they can achieve anything.

So, how does this relate to intelligence?

Well, two things, a child can be intelligent, but not given equal opportunity (fairness), and thus fall behind others... and specifically fail to learn how to effectively learn (i.e. they might be quick to learn, if they had the opportunity).  Thus when that child does poorly in school, and drops out, and stops learning new things, are they less intelligent?  Society says no... I think the answer should be 'yes'.

Second, and opposite, a child can be considered a 'slow learner', but who puts in maximum effort, and learns how to learn (for them), and gains average grades in school but sticks with it.  This child learns advanced mathematics, science, history, and more... is this 'slow learner' still considered as not very intelligent?  Society says yes... I think the answer is no.  This child is MORE intelligent than the quick learner who (for reasons in or out of their control) does not put in enough effort to continue learning.

Here's what this all means:  I believe that intelligence should be a measure of the knowledge that a person has gained and retained.  This is not how fast or how easy it is for that person to learn new things, because with enough effort, that can be overcome.  This is instead how MUCH that person has learned, whether by whatever amount of effort it might have taken.

The quickness of how fast someone can learn (or memorize or problem solve), is a totally separate trait, barely worthy of consideration (e.g. IQ is useless).  Thus we must not call the lazy quick learner who does not apply themselves as intelligent.  We must not accept the messed up education system that does not give the quick learner enough opportunity.   Even more so, we must not call the 'not as quick' learners less intelligent, instead we must give them 'fair' opportunity to apply effort to gain intelligence.

Losing your temper in business. The take 5 rule.

I've done it.  We've all done it.  At some point in your life, you lose  your cool.  You get mad, and you show it ~ sometimes quite visibly.  But what happens when you lose your temper in business?  What can happen?  And what are the long lasting effects of losing your temper in the office?  Here's my experience and what you can do to avoid or minimize problems when it inevitably does happen to you.

1. I've lost my cool numerous times in the office, usually I get red in the face, start to frown dangerously, and get real quiet.... I can tell you from experience, that look usually shuts people down and RARELY does it get beyond this point for me.  Yah, it's clear I'm mad, but people that have worked for me know that I'll cool down in a few minutes... especially if....

1.b. The best tactic not to go beyond this point (turning red/ frowning) is to say "let's take 5" and walk outside or get some water... remember to breathe, and that life is bigger than whatever you are mad at.  After 5 min. you should be cool enough to talk rationally again.

2. Occasionally, even after 5 min., I'm still angry.  Heck, I can still be mad after 2-days, and sitting down with that person again just sparks back up the anger.  I can't keep "taking 5" constantly.   What to do?

2.b. The best thing to do is to try to take an 'active listening' approach.  This involves starting at the beginning (after a take-5 or when you're cooled down), asking again about the problem, then most importantly repeating the problem back to the person from their point of view.  They will feel heard and then they will be ready to listen.  Explain your problem.  Ask them to say it back to you.  Then ask them to explain what they want.  Say it back to them.  Tell them what you want.  Ask them to say it back to you.  Now find a solution.. you'll both be read to figure it out.

3. So... uhoh.  I yelled.  I screamed.  I lost it.   Have I done that?  sure.  Just never let it get physical... more on that later.   All you did was yell... maybe you cursed... What do you do now???

3.b. My best advice is to quickly acknowledge you lost your cool and you need to "take 5".  The world is not over.  This happens. Has happened to me.  Nothing too terrible is going to happen.  Follow 2.b above, and all will be okay.  After your take 5, acknowledge that you were wrong to yell, but you are still angry, and then move to active listening.

4. So, you got physical?  This has not happened to me.  Hopefully you've taken 5, got away from the situation.  In my companies, there is a rule: no-one can refuse or get upset about someone's need to take 5.  I HAVE seen someone get physical at work 1 time.  I was the manager.

4.b. So, what happens if you get physical at work?   I can tell you what I did. I fired the person, immediately.  On the spot.  No regrets, no 2nd chances.  You get physical at work, you should be fired.  Period.  Hopefully your workplace has a take 5 rule... if not take it yourself.  Getting docked 5 minutes of time is better than being fired.

I hope this blog has left you with some thoughts.. feel free to post them below.  I respond to all comments and questions.

Lean Startup Essentials: Harlan's new Class at University of Texas McCombs School of Business

Hello Friends and Followers!  My NEW UT McCombs Undergraduate Class on Entrepreneurship - Lean Startup Essentials, begins this Fall 2015!

* no pre-req.

This class is designed for any undergraduate student at UT Austin who wants to learn about Entrepreneurship.  You will learn all the basics (essentials), but in a way that also teaches the latest and greatest in startup trends: especially Lean Startup, the groundbreaking new trend in startup success.  A great thing about the class is that it will also teach practical skills to actually launch a startup.  In fact, YOU WILL LAUNCH A STARTUP as part of this class (albeit from a canned selection of products/services).

There are still open seats!

Simply search the catalogue for the course name:
Lean Startup Essentials:
  http://registrar.utexas.edu/schedules

Please add... or consider drop->add to get into my class!  It'll be really fun and send you on your way to a great career in a Startup (maybe your own!)!

Here is the course official description:

Course Unique ID: 04967   
T,TH 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
CBA 5.328
Instructor: BEVERLY, HARLAN T
MAN 337 LEAN STARTUP ESSENTIALS
Prerequisite: None.

Topic description:  

This course uses the "Lean Startup" concept as a canvas to give students the essential knowledge needed to either start their own business or join a startup and be a major contributor. In addition to learning about entrepreneurship, the legal aspects of starting a business, and the life and experience of working at a startup, students will get hands-on skills they can use in any startup or to start their own business.

Textbook: The Lean Startup by Eric Ries

Patent Thoughts for Startups

Patents are an odd thing... if you might have one, it's valuable.  If you do have one, it's of little more value than maybe having one.  Writing one is hard.  Getting one is hard.  Using one is nearly useless.  So what should a startup do?

In my 15 years and 21 patents worth of experience, this is what has worked for me.  As with all such thoughts, this is not legal advice, simply my experience; I am not a lawyer.

First, it is cheap and easy to file a provisional patent.  Just got to http://uspto.gov and file it.   Utility Provisional is what you want, and startups can usually pay even less by selecting small business option.  Less than $200 is all you should need.   Write it in plain English, what it is and does, and include at least 1 figure.  Easy-peasy.  Suddenly you get the MOST value out of a patent you can get, but it expires in 1-year so be careful!   During that year, you can say "patent pending" and that's crucial for startups (sometimes).

Next, don't bother filing the real (non-provisional) patent unless a.) you have the money [around $10K, because a patent attorney is a must].   AND  b.) either the product is somewhat successful or the patent seems really good to you.  Remember, you have 1 year to file it, and must reference the provisional... or you lose the date of the provisional filing.

Last, why bother?

Because, saying patent pending is good marketing (usually).  Also because investors like it.   After you are funded, they will like it if you keep building up your actual patent portfolio (of real patents, not provisional patents).

Now, get out there and LAUNCH a real product, stop worrying about patents, just write your own provisional and move on!  It won't matter unless your product is a success anyway!

Job vs. Career: How much should you like your job?

Every job has fun parts and boring parts.  Some jobs also have really difficult parts, which may be fun or may be boring.  As a manager, I think a lot about my employees and  how much they like their job.  The answer can never be 100%, not even for me.  So how much is enough?  How much should you like your job?

To answer that question, I want to break down life on the job into three parts:  part 1 - the environment of the job, part 2 - the people you work with, and part 3 - the work itself.   The reason to break this down this way is because the work itself is really only a part of the overall aspect of working.

So, how much should you like your job?   Well, let's look at each part.

Part 1 - The Job Environment:
   You really should like all these things about your job environment: Temperature, Workspace, Bathrooms, Odor/Air Quality.
   Some things you can "not like" because it's just part of "having a job": hours, breaks, location (distance from your home)
   Extras: these things you can like, but don't expect them: perks, comfort
   My count: you should like your Job Environment 4/7 or 57%.   Above 57% and you may have yourself a career!   Below, and you should look for a new job now.

Part 2 - The People:
    You should not dislike more than 50% of your coworkers.  You should respect your boss (not necessarily like him/her). Your boss should have a path for promotion for you in mind and want you to succeed.
    You do not have to like: everyone.  You do not have to be 'social' with anyone from your job, if you are consider that a bonus.
    My count: If you dislike more than 50% of  your coworkers or do not respect your boss or your boss does not want you to ever get promoted (no path), then you should look for a new job.  Otherwise, you may have yourself a career!   Read on!

Part 3 - The Work Itself:
    As said before, there are parts you like and parts you don't.  It's true for every job, even CEO job (maybe especially!).  Here's a checklist of should's:
   1. You should identify with the department you are in "engineering, marketing, sales, production, etc.".
   2. You should like the 'main thing' that your job is responsible to do.  (build stuff, market stuff, sell stuff, etc.).
   3. You should find your work challenging but doable.
   4. You should be able to learn new things constantly in your job.
   5. You should not expect to do only stuff you like all the time.  You may only get to do stuff you like about your job about 25% of the time.
   6. For doing stuff you don't like, you should not "absolutely hate" more than 25% of the stuff you do.
   7. That leaves about 50% of stuff you don't like but don't hate, and that's okay.
   My Count:  If you like at least 25% of the stuff you do, and don't hate more than 25%, and you identify with your department and find your work challenging and learn new stuff.... you have yourself a career.  IF not, start looking for a new job... perhaps in a new department.

So, do I like my job?  The picture below should answer that:

Is your product idea good? Top 3 Ways to Know for Sure!

Ever had a product idea and wondered if it was any good?  Whether you are an engineer, an MBA, or a stay-at-home mom, these 5 tips will help you answer definitively whether your idea is good... or not!

Tip #1: 

What is your goal?  Do you want to build it for yourself or friends or sell it as an idea?  Do you want to start a full business or just make some for side-money?

Depending on your answer, good has different meanings... And tip #1 is essential to answer before you go any further.

Three possible answers make your product idea good:

Sell the idea!   Stop.  Nobody buys ideas.

Start a real business.  Yep, step 2.

Make some for side-income?   Okay, but tread carefully to step 2.

If this is a lark, stop now and proceed to hobby lobby!

Tip #2:  

Who cares?

Really, is there anyone who cares about your idea?  Does it solve someone's problem or is otherwise desirable by some specific kind of customer?

If not, stop.   Someone, some specific demographic, the smaller the better, must care, have the problem, or otherwise desire the product, or else, stop.

Tip #3:
Can you sell one and for how much?

I don't mean build one then sell one.. I mean sell one!

The best way to know if your product idea is good, and the TOP TIP to know for sure if your idea is good is to PRE-SELL it!

Literally, setup a 2 page website where page 1 introduces the product, page 2 accepts a pre-order.  If you can get a few pre-orders, go ahead a build *a few*...
You could also do this with Kickstarter or Indiegogo, but those services expect bigger ideas and a real budget for video/marketing/etc.  Instead take the money you make on the first few orders to build some.... then build a few more... once you've sold 100, go ahead, do your kickstarter!

Good luck!

Go out and SELL!  Sales is the only way to know if your product ideas is good or not.


Now, back to my Smart Watch idea....

Creation of Awesome is Blocked

Do not let your big dream and desire to create awesome BLOCK you from taking a tiny step towards it.

Ship often

CES 2015 Marketing Fails (World's Best!)

I greatly enjoyed CES 2015... Perhaps most of all, the startup corridore (some of which was sponsored by indiegogo.com ).  However startups, big and small, seemed to fail at several key marketing elements.  Here are some of my favorite marketing fails from CES 2015.

1.) Worlds First:   Several startups made this claim proudly on banners, some of which not more than 100 feet from a similar product, also the worlds first.

Why a marketing fail?  Not what you think... Its not the claim itself that fails (maybe its true, maybe not). The problem is WHO CARES!  Marketers must train themselves to think from the customer point of view....   And tell them the benefit of your product, from their perspective, not a useless claim!

2.). World's "whatever" (smartest, best, smallest, whatever).

Why a marketing fail?   This one is the reason you think...  How can you verify this claim?  Unless it is self-evident, you cannot back it up.   And anyways, its not from the customers perspective... so again, who cares!

  Can you find the claim?

3.) No Idea What You Do...   Too much clutter!

Why a marketing fail?  This is the most common problem.   I just want to scan your booth and see what you do or make or your product... If I cant figure that out in 5 secs, i am gone.

   What is this selling exactly?

4.) No Goal! No point to even be there!

Why a marketing fail?   If you don't have a "MEASURABLE GOAL" how can you know if you achieved it (or anything).  I'm not picking on my UT friends, but I'm not sure what it is they are trying to do... maybe looking for partners?  How will they know how many they met?  If I go to a show like this, I would have a specific goal and agenda, and a way to measure it.  Give-aways/raffles are a great way to do this.

What fails did you see at CES this year?

If you build it, they will come. Bad advice? Or maybe good!

The old adage that "if you build it, they will come" is usually considered very bad marketing advice.  In recent times, however, I actually think it has become Good advice, especially if reworded just slightly...

"If you build it, they MIGHT come" is probably some of the best marketing advice I can give.

In this world if lean startup, minimum viable product (MVP) and bootstrapping entrepreneurship, one of the most important things to do is to"ship it" and see if customers come and like it, and iterate quickly based on that feedback.

At Key Ingredient we recently formalized these concepts and declared ourselves an "Agile Company".

What will you ship this year?

My thought?   See photo I took at CES 2015 below!

Stopping Time in Crucial & Special Moments

Recently on Facebook I had a great reminder of the importance of time in our lives  (SEE BELOW).

I thought it was worth sharing here a few more thoughts I have had about "time slowing", why do it, and how to do it (with examples).

You see, there is a great movie (Star Trek Insurrection) which really illustrates two excellent uses for "time slowing".  In the film, Captain Picard's girlfriend can 'slow time' to experience certain "perfect moments" and extend them for greater enjoyment.   Later, Picard himself "slows time" to save that girlfriend's life.  Interestingly, in this second case, time actually passed more quickly from Picard, but it seemed like less time had passed.... this is the key to the trick, and let me explain now how this can ACTUALLY BE DONE!

Why Slow Time?

1. To extend the good time you are currently having (extend that perfect moment)
2. To get past a bad time more quickly (really this is speeding up time).

How to Slow Time  (or speed it up).

1. First realize that time is 'relative'.  Relativity is the well-known idea that time passes for people differently based on how fast they are moving!
2. Now, realize that when we say "slow time" what we mean is either Speeding it up or Slowing it down relative to you..
3. SO.... to "Speed Up Time" relative to you, and make time pass by faster on the outside, and make it seem like less time to you.... based on the theory of relativity, you must simply SLOW your own mind.   E.g. Think thoughts much more slowly, move more slowly, and generally take longer to think something... and suddenly, when you wake from this trance-like state, time will have passed by 'outside your awareness' and it will be later than you think!  (e.g. time sped up outside your zone of awareness)
4. NOW... the hard part, how to "Slow Time Down" relative to you.... this is way harder, because you must INCREASE YOUR MINDS SPEED!  you must think thoughts much much more rapidly... I find it helps to take pictures, really fast mental snapshots of all that is happening around you.  If you have a camera, take real pictures.  Try to SPEED UP your minds analysis of all it sees.  Speed up any thoughts you are having, have them faster....   Now, look up, and see almost NO TIME has passed.  For you, relativity-wise, you've had a lot of time pass, but in the real world, almost no time has passed.  that's the trick and it really works.

So, which do you do when?

I think Speeding up Time, you should do when you are bored, or in pain.  Actively try to SLOW your mind and your thoughts and next thing you know it will have passed.

Conversely, and counter-intuitively, to "preserve a moment" you must SPEED UP your awareness of it, and try to capture more of it into your brain... more snapshots of the scene into your head.   Rapid Eye scanning of all you see and the scene around you and real picture if you can.  This will let you experience MORE OF the moment.

I remember in High School I hated Study Hall...  it was SO BORING.  But instead of watching the clock, i tried to 'not think' and entered a meditative state.. next thing I knew, the bell rung!  

Here's a moment I preserved.  10-minutes before pitching for an $8Million fundraising for my company (Bigfoot Networks), I found myself sitting in a waiting room, waiting to pitch a final pitch to a room full of VCs.  I grabbed my camera and started snapping photos, I walked and paced around the room, looking everywhere, highly excited and full of wonder.... I sped my thoughts actively trying to capture all of the moment and all that was happening and all that was on the line.  I went through the whole pitch and what might happen, and all this in 10-minutes....  I looked up and only 5-minutes had passed!  WOW!  time slowed! 

Here's one of my favorite moments, hanging out with my girlfriend (now wife) and we even got a picture!  I really extended that moment, you can see the alertness in both our eyes...

<<<_from Facebook__>>>

Harlan T. Beverly shared Star Trek's photo.

January 3 at 1:08pm ·

True awesomeness can be found in Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Star Trek

"I rather believe that time is a companion who goes with us on the journey and reminds us to cherish every moment because they'll never come again." - Jean-Luc Picard

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• Kelli Brown, Yvonne Segraves and 2 others like this.
• 

  Harlan T. Beverly cherish every moment : even try to slow time at critical moments.... something I actually practice. (for reals)

  January 3 at 1:23pm · Like · 1
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  Harlan T. Beverly A few of my friends Michael Cubbage and Bob Grim for example, have seen me do this: Right before BIG pitches (exciting Multi-million dollar pitches)... I slow time, take pictures of the moment... really embrace the adventure. You can do it too... the trick is like Lucid Dreaming: realize that you are "in a moment" and capture it.... double-blink your eyes, and snap a pic if you can. Those moments stick on! It's really cool.

  January 3 at 1:25pm · Like · 1
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  Bob Grim Michael Cubbage will agree with me that those were fun times Mr. Time Stopper 

  January 4 at 6:13pm · Unlike · 1