....MY iPOD!

I am often asked how I have learned about marketing, coaching, creating a blog and a website, running a business - the disparate collection of things I now know - and I realized it's time to share my secret weapon.

I treated myself to an iPod at the end of last year!

"Now how's that been helpful to you?", you may wonder. Well, I detest being locked into sitting at my computer to listen to the hundreds of hours of teleclasses I have attended and downloaded onto my desktop. I tend to distract myself with web-surfing, shopping and deleting e-mail (I am not allowed to go to bed until I have 30 or less e-mails in my Inbox!!) - and I quickly lose concentration.

As soon as I figured my iPod out, and dowloaded iTunes onto my computer, I began transferring all these hours of classes onto the iPod. I have also discovered that many of my plan-to-read-someday-when I-have-the-time books are available for download in the iTunes audiobook store.

Forget the music (which I did download as well in the break between Christmas and New Year)! My huge prize is the cache of classes and books - other people's wisdom - that I have in my purse.

At this point I have over 3 days worth (more than 72 hours) of classes and business e-books I can carry around at all times. This means several things to me:

1. I am never bored
2. I no longer have to carry books or magazines to entertain myself while I wait for an appointment
3. My drives and commutes are easy as I just carry on learning, ignoring the appalling LA freeway traffic
4. I am more motivated to take a walk in the neighborhood or on the treadmill for exercise, as I am doing my equivalent of reading at the same time
5. If I miss a class, most teleclass hosts will now send a link to a downloadable class recording so that I don't feel left behind
6. I can listen to the really good stuff over and over
7. I love learning, and it is easier than ever before, even for a busy mom with a full-time job!!!

What is the one tool you can't live without in your professional life?