I traveled to University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls to speak to about 40 members of the Iowa Therapeutic Recreation Association on Friday. We had a great time talking about being the best we can be in our jobs, and going after our dreams. I shared some tour stories and even sang a couple songs! I met some really inspiring people and I hope all the members of the association keep up the good work!
Thanks to the amazing Laura Housel (president) for having me!
I’m super excited to be speaking at the DOVIA (Directors of Volunteers in Agencies) mini conference at Drake University this Friday, March 8th at 1pm. I will be speaking about Inspiring Extraordinary Performance in all you do!
DOVIA is a fantastic association of volunteer managers offering professional growth, networking and leadership opportunities to both the experienced and new in the field of volunteer management. For more info visit them here…
Here is the day’s schedule.
Please join us THIS Friday, March 8, 2013 from 12:30 - 4pm for our DOVIA mini-conference. ***We ask that everyone register at the link HERE so we can get an accurate head count. Snacks will be provided.Please see below for more details.DOVIA Mini-Conference
Friday, March 8th, 2013
12:30-4:00 pm
Drake Campus in Medbury 116
Individuals are welcome to park in the Olmsted Parking Lot. The lot is the gated parking off of University. We will provide each attendee with a parking sticker to place on their parking ticket. It will cover their parking expense for the day.Program:1 pm: Patrick Tape Fleming, Life Coach and Founder of the band, Poison Control Center (http://inspireextraordinaryperformance.tumblr.com)
How to Inspire Extraordinary Performance
2 pm: Dr. Redmund, Drake University
Preparing for Risk
3 pm: Mike Wagner, CEO of White Rabbit Group -TedxDesMoines Talk on the Positive Power of Being Strange (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VP5Ua3BXSM)
Branding and Volunteer Management
How Nerves Can Push You To Greatness!
A few months back, I was asked by a couple of friends if I would officiate their wedding. Always up for a new challenge and always excited to help friends out I said yes! Little did I know how nerve racking this would be!
I have never had a problem speaking in front of people or expressing how I feel about friends in words.. But I don’t think I have ever been in the position where I honestly thought I could mess up somebody’s most important day.. This is where the nerves kicked in..
We are all creatures of habit. In our personal and professional lives, we strive for things that are repeatable and predictable. Even the most ambitious change agent needs tools, people and processes they understand in order to move their businesses or lives forward. When we move away from things that are predictable and fully understood we become uneasy and possibly nervous about the task we are trying to accomplish.
I’m here to say this is the BEST thing for you to go through! I put myself though vigorous practice for my 10 minute ceremony. More practice for this than anything I have done in years, so by the time the wedding started, I had a new profound confidence in what I was doing, even though I had never done it before! I felt like a pro!
I challenge you to go off the beaten path, let the nerves kick in, and go for the glory in what ever you are doing today!
Thanks to Dustin and Hannah for putting me in the position to push myself to a place I have never been! You are a beautiful couple and the love you have for each other is amazing, congrats!
Directing the Life You Want!
This past Sunday, I directed a music video for the Des Moines, Iowa based musician H.D. Harmsen. The song has a feel of depression area vaudevillian fun. The video was inspired by films like Stardust Memories by Woody Allen and Persona by Ingmar Berman with lots of close ups on faces that look quite disturbing. See above..
Directing a music video is much like directing your own real life. To be successful you need to surround yourself with a great cast, compliment their performance’s, ask for help when you need it, and trust in them in every move you make!
Finding the right group of people in your life, business, or even your slow pitch softball team will help you accomplish great things more efficiently… all while having a great time doing it! Thank you to my great cast!
Check out H.D. Harmsen’s music here…
Today I read a feature on CNN Opinion on why following your passion is bad advice. The article was written by Cal Newport. Cal talks about research that shows, that it is not important for a person to be happy with the job they have to do a good job!
This maybe true in some cases, but just imagine a work place where employes love what they do, and they can’t wait to get to work! They don’t settle on doing a “good,” job, they do an extraordinary job EVERYDAY!
I have worked at places where my boss has told me, “you’re the best we have ever had.” But this did not make me pumped up or inspired to do better, because my passion was just not there. We are taught at a very young age that WORK is WORK and you WORK so you can do your HOBBIES on the side. Why would anyone want to live that way. I do not want to spend the majority of my time doing something I have no passion for, just to get a paycheck so I can do my hobbies on the weekends.
Newport also says, that most people have no idea what their passion is. I disagree with that. I don’t know anyone who has no passions, or doesn’t know what they love to do. I’m here to help people have the mind set, the plan, and the heart to go after those passions and make those hobbies, the career you can be extraordinary at, and live the happy life we all deserve!
You can read Mr. Newport’s feature here..
http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/29/opinion/passion-career-cal-newport/index.html
For some great reading material about how you can go after the work you love, check out Dan Miller’s 48 Days to the Work You Love… You can pick up a copy here.
http://www.1automationwiz.com/app/?af=1490608
If you’re ready to start chasing down your dreams you can contact me here..
Making Sweet Music for the Community!
When you wake up everyday, do you think. Wow I have the opportunity to do something extraordinary for my community?
Then do you act on it? Today I’m honored to interview two people who believe in the power of music and community. Nate Logsdon and Chris Lyng founders and organizers of the Maximum Ames Music Festival.
Ames, Iowa is a small college town located in the middle of the United States. The beautiful city receives a lot of attention in presidential election years, but this week it’s all about Music, Art, and a Strong Community! On the eve of the festival I spoke with it’s founding fathers!
Patrick Tape Fleming: What has been the best experience working on this festival together for the second year?
Nate Logsdon: We have a great working relationship, we love hustling together for Ames! I think one of the coolest experiences so far this year was when Chris confirmed with Jeff Mangum, we were dizzy with excitement.
Chris Lyng: I think the best thing this year is being able to use the knowledge we gained from last year to plan this year’s fest. Last year we were doing everything for the first time. This year people know who we are and it makes it easier to collaborate with even more people.
PTF: With over 130 bands playing in 4 days, where do you even begin as a music fan. What are your tips for surviving a festival of this magnitude!
CL: Jump around. If you have a All Fest Pass you have the freedom to come and go as you please. Also, go to stuff you have never seen or heard off. We curated this festival to be awesome all the way through. No duds guaranteed!
NL: Check out the schedule and select your top picks for shows! Choose show in your budget and bounce around Ames checking out all the glory.
PTF: Making dreams come true is an emotional experience, with this festival you guys have made a dream of mine come true by bringing Jeff Mangum to Ames, Iowa. How do you even start considering artist when you start planning a festival of this size?
NL: We have a goal of bringing in artists whose story overlaps with the story of Iowa music.. Jeff Mangum is beloved around the world and his music has a particular resonance in Ames because of the connected histories of the Ames and Athens, GA music scenes (which exist largely because of the Poison Control Center!) We wanted to get Jeff because we love his music and we wanted to create a narrative of Iowa music history that connects to his art.
CL: We look for artists that have an Iowan connection or builds an Iowan story. Jeff Mangum and Wanda Jackson are living legends and it is an important part of Max Ames to have Iowan bands sharing the stage with national headliners!
PTF: You have made Maximum Ames Fest not only about music, but about Community. Why is the city you live in so important in everything you do.
NL: We love living in Ames, it’s a great place to start a business or be an artist (or be both, like we do!) We aren’t doing this for ourselves, we’re doing it for the community because we love living in this town and we want people to take pride in this town.
CL: We love being from and living in Ames. Ames has so many opportunities and amazing people that have collaboration in their blood. We could not pull off a festival like this anywhere else. It is a uniquely Iowan and Ames festival. That is why Ames is in the name.
PTF: Can people still get tickets?
NL: YES! Until midnight Wednesday you can pre-order wristbands. After
that, visit our ticket booth or buy tickets to shows at the door of each show!
CL: Yes. At maximumames.com and at the ticket pickup locations and at the door.
PTF: You said in Juice Magazine that Willie Nelson and Bruce Springsteen would be your dream headliners, if they could do 3 songs to close the fest together what would they be.
NL: OH MY GOD GREAT QUESTION! In this order: Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain, Amazing Grace, Atlantic City
CL: I gotta get drunk - Willie (cuz I love this song), Thunder Road, The party’s over (both Springsteen and Willie together)
PTF: What are you going to do when you wake up Monday morning, when the festival is all wrapped up?
CL: Going to work, booking Mumford’s upcoming tour and planning Maximum Ames Music Festival 3!
NL: GET BACK TO HUSTLING!
A big thanks to Nate and Chris for talking to me! You truly Inspire Extraordinary Performance. I’m super excited to see their band Mumfords and over 130 others this week in Ames.
For more information on Maximum Ames Festival check out…
Take Time to Be Proud of Yourself!
Recently I have been expanding my passion as a life coach to Inspire other’s to Extraordinary Performance in their own lives. I have been studying under one of the field’s finest, and this past week I traveled to Franklin, TN for an intense two days of workshops and creative mind melding! I’m proud to say that I have been Certified and Endorsed by Dan Miller as a 48 Days Coach! I was the only one of my 20 peers in the class who left Franklin with this honor and I’m so excited about it..
For More information on Dan Miller and the 48 Days Network check out..
Dan specializes in creative thinking for increased personal success. He believes that meaningful work blends our natural skills and abilities, our unique personality traits and our dreams and passions. Dan is active in helping individuals redirect careers, evaluate new income sources, and achieve balanced living.
Dan is the author of the widely acclaimed 48 Days To The Work You Love and No More Mondays, and his new book, Wisdom Meets Passion. He writes regularly for many popular magazines and web portals, including CBN.com, Crosswalk.com, In Touch, AARP and Success magazines and the Zig Ziglar newsletter. He has been a guest on CBS’ ‘The Early Show,’ MSNBC’s ‘Hardball with Chris Mathews,’ 700 Club’s Living the Life and Fox Business News with Dave Ramsey Show…to hit some highlights. He hosts a weekly podcast that is consistently ranked #1 under Careers on iTunes.
Destination Inspiration - Talking with Christine Doolittle of the Des Moines Art Center
Where do you go to get inspired? Do you take long walks in the countryside, read Shakespeare, or turn on a record? In your daily life of sleep, eat, and work, sometimes you need to take a breather and go someplace where you allow yourself to be overcome by inspiration. It’s makes you think, react, and do things that inspire others to make the world a better place.
When I need a jolt of inspiration I like to spend an afternoon in the Des Moines Art Center or take a run through the Pappajohn Sculpture Park. Today we go behind the scenes and talk to the Des Moines Art Center’s Director of Marketing and Public Relations, Christine Doolittle.
Patrick Tape Fleming: Whenever I need a quick blast of inspiration, I head to the Des Moines Art Center. Can you describe how working in such a creative environment affects your work day?
Christine Doolittle: Every day at the Art Center is different, from preparing for exhibitions, to working on the website, to the most exciting part of our jobs: meeting the artists. Also, it’s inspiring to walk through the galleries and see new work installed every day. Many people think the permanent galleries remain constant, but much to the contrary, our installations team rotates out works of art on a regular basis. I was just in the lower section of the Richard Meier building the other day and saw one of our newest acquisitions hanging, the Mark Grotjahn drawing, which up until that point, I had only seen in pictures. It’s stunning. (It’s also on the cover of our latest newsletter.)
PTF: The Des Moines Art Center is free for everyone, which is incredible. Can you explain why that is, and do patrons need to do anything to keep it that way?
CD: The Art Center is extremely proud to offer free admission, thanks to our donors, both corporate and individual, and to the foundations that help support this mission. Not only is admission always free (with the exception of a few special events), we have free lectures, gallery talks, films, and community days. In many cities, museums only offer free admission to members, which is the main incentive to become a member in those cases, but for the Art Center, our members ensure free admission for all. Admission is free at the Pappajohn Sculpture Park as well.
PTF: Education is a huge part of the Des Moines Art Center. Can you tell us about some of the extra activities that the Des Moines Art Center offers up?
CD: Not only do we offer classes and scholarships to all ages and all skill levels in many media (including drawing, painting, printmaking, cartooning, jewelry-making, ceramics, etc.), we also strive to make the artwork we present more meaningful by providing multi-faceted programming including films (artists’ choice or chosen by the Education department), artist lectures, scholar lectures, gallery talks with curators, audio and cell phone tours, docent-led tours, and gallery guides. We also offer free guided tours to every fourth-grade student in the local five-district area (we cover transportation for them as well).
PTF: I have always wondered how often the Des Moines Art Center seeks out new pieces for the permanent collection?
CD: We have an acquisition team that is made up of Art Center supporters, board members, and staff that work with curators and the director to decide what is needed for the collection and what will enhance the collection.
PTF: Who is the most inspiring artist to you, ever? And why?
CD: Not that I am able to choose just one, but we had a one-person exhibition here last fall with San Antonio artist Dario Robleto, titled Survival Does Not Lie In The Heavens. Dario’s work focuses on extinction, longevity, and memories, and is made up of materials such as love letters, human tears, fossils, audio tape, and amber. The work is truly poetic and inspired me to reflect on mortality, responsibility, and relationships.
PTF Note: Dario Robleto did the artwork to one of my favorite bands most recent albums.. I had no idea who he was. Thanks Christine.
A huge thanks to Christine Doolittle and everyone from the Des Moines Art Center for providing a place of pure inspiration for anyone to discover!
For more information check out.
Cory Schmitz and Ryan Peterson bringing it all back home!
If you re-build it they will come… Reshaping an event that has a long history in your community can sound like quite the daunting task. But great things can happen, With a Little Help From Your Friends.
Ankeny Unplugged was started years ago by the city of Ankeny, Iowa as a way for the community to come together to listen to live music, have a few drinks, and have some fun.
A couple years back Cory Schmitz and Ryan Peterson with the help of the nonprofit Ankeny Jaycees Junior chamber took over the event and gave it the face lift it needed. Now every Saturday in June, Wagner Park in Ankeny, IA is the place to be in central Iowa for live music, crafts, food, and all around family fun.
I’m lucky enough to be participating in the final week of the on going festival and I have been so impressed with the work and promotion Cory and Ryan have put into this event! It’s really inspiring what they have done for the community they live in.
Both Cory and Ryan took time out of their crazy schedules to talk about Ankeny Unplugged.
Patrick Tape Fleming: First could you let us know what you are doing when you are not promoting this amazing concert series you started?
Cory Schmitz: I work full time in Ames as an embedded software engineer and have way too many hobbies on the side. My family, music, astronomy, computers, photography, and other forms of generic nerdery fill in the gaps. Too much, really.
Ryan Peterson: I work full time as a graphic designer by day, but also have a 2 year old son, which is kind of like a second full time job but with less sitting and more toy cars.
Patrick: What was the inspiration to create Ankeny Unplugged?
Cory: Ankeny Unplugged was slowly suffering prior to 2011 and they were going to let it die, so I stepped in and asked for the opportunity to re-invent it. That’s how it turned into a real music festival-style series. Original music and art has always been really important to me and has been something I always thought was lacking in Ankeny. Ryan and I decided to try and change that for ourselves. It’s a little self-serving in that way, because we happen to fit the demographic we try to attract. It’s a ton of volunteer work, but it’s so worth it when we see people giving the artists their attention at the events and then posting positive and exciting things on social networking sites about their experience. I get emotional sometimes when I thank people for appreciating it.
Ryan: The inspiration to change Ankeny Unplugged was Cory’s, he asked me to get involved with the Jaycees and AU because I had some experience with booking and design for music events. He sealed the deal with his enthusiasm and promise of free beer. I think music means a lot to both of us, so it’s a fun endeavor.
Patrick: With Des Moines’ and Ames’ music scenes booming does Ankeny feel like the middle brother who never get’s any attention?
Cory: Not at all. I have always felt like Ankeny is just another suburb of Des Moines. It’s just as easy to get here as it is to get to WDM, Altoona, Johnston, etc. Ankeny’s problem is there aren’t many venues for original bands to play, so we are trying to change that, at least for a few weeks in the summer.
Ryan: I don’t think of Ankeny as a middle brother to those scenes. More like a Cousin Oliver. It’s new, and adds a little pep to an already vibrant music scene.
Patrick: Let us know how businesses and crafters could maybe get involved for next years event?
Cory: Artists, crafters, and other people interested in the market should keep an eye on our website, Twitter, and Facebook accounts in the first half of the year. We announce heavily on those mediums. Other businesses who are interested in sponsorship or partnering with us can contact us at any time. Really though, anybody with an idea is welcome to suggest it!
Ryan: We would love the support. Brand savvy businesses should recognize this as a opportunity to communicate to young professionals and families at an event whose proceeds go back into the community.
Patrick: If you could have any artist play Ankeny Unplugged who would it be?
Cory: That’s a big question. Anybody, like national touring act? Spoon or The Black Keys. Somebody that would make more sense financially and could actually happen someday, maybe? Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band. But I think our lineup has been amazing. I’ve been looking forward to hearing these bands in our park all spring and summer. That’s the thing, we try and book bands we like, can afford, and have wide appeal.Ryan: Paul Westerberg. Glen Hansard. Neko Case. Some solo act so completely cool that they have no business playing in Ankeny. Maybe in 5 years people will look at the bands that played AU this year and be really impressed that we got them before they hit it big. The main hope in booking this series is that you expose people to great local and regional talent that they might not know is out there.
A huge thanks to Cory and Ryan for talking with me today and for inspiring extraordinary performances by reshaping an event that benefits so many different people in the community they live in! Great work guys! See you on Saturday in the park!For more info on Ankeny Unplugged check out
