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    <title>Jon Kragh</title>
    <link href="https://www.jonkragh.com/feed.xml" rel="self" />
    <link href="https://www.jonkragh.com" />
    <updated>2021-11-13T16:01:52-05:00</updated>
    <author>
        <name>Jon Kragh</name>
    </author>
    <id>https://www.jonkragh.com</id>

    <entry>
        <title>Jon Kragh 50 Life Principles</title>
        <author>
            <name>Jon Kragh</name>
        </author>
        <link href="https://www.jonkragh.com/jon-kragh-50-life-principles.html"/>
        <id>https://www.jonkragh.com/jon-kragh-50-life-principles.html</id>

        <updated>2021-11-13T16:01:52-05:00</updated>
            <summary>
                <![CDATA[
                     I think a lot about longevity. I often tell my wife that if I pass away, at least pass along my principles to our children. How do you memorialize content so that the content outlives you? The short answer is we can only guess&hellip;
                ]]>
            </summary>
        <content type="html">
            <![CDATA[
                <figure>
<div>I think a lot about longevity. I often tell my wife that if I pass away, at least pass along my principles to our children. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>How do you memorialize content so that the content outlives you? </div>
<div> </div>
<div>The short answer is we can only guess today what will last for hundreds of years past tomorrow. Recently, in a move towards multi-generational longevity, I moved the source code for this blog to GitHub, which may have a chance to live for a few hundred years. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Maybe.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>YouTube is another medium that may have legs for a few generations. While I think that paper is the only proven medium for content longevity, we also have not had digital technology long enough to know what will last for generations.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>So with that in mind, I narrated my life principles and posted them on YouTube, not for accolades for today, but for longevity for tomorrow. In a world where people post content for a brief moment of high visibility, I post content for long-term personal impact.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Here is the video and narration.</div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
</figure>
<figure class="post__video"><iframe loading="lazy" width="560" height="314" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wSRnhveBrXY?t=178s" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></figure>
            ]]>
        </content>
    </entry>
    <entry>
        <title>Amplify Your Value Proposition with the Elements of Value - Eric Almquist</title>
        <author>
            <name>Jon Kragh</name>
        </author>
        <link href="https://www.jonkragh.com/amplify-your-value-proposition-with-the-elements-of-value-eric-almquist.html"/>
        <id>https://www.jonkragh.com/amplify-your-value-proposition-with-the-elements-of-value-eric-almquist.html</id>

        <updated>2021-11-13T14:17:08-05:00</updated>
            <summary>
                <![CDATA[
                     
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            </summary>
        <content type="html">
            <![CDATA[
                <figure></figure>
<figure class="post__video"><iframe loading="lazy" width="560" height="314" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/el3gHCKq6cM?t=2499s" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></figure>
            ]]>
        </content>
    </entry>
    <entry>
        <title>Jon Kragh&#x27;s Additional Life Principles in 2020</title>
        <author>
            <name>Jon Kragh</name>
        </author>
        <link href="https://www.jonkragh.com/jon-kraghs-additional-life-principles-in-2020.html"/>
        <id>https://www.jonkragh.com/jon-kraghs-additional-life-principles-in-2020.html</id>
            <category term="homepage"/>

        <updated>2021-07-18T10:50:06-04:00</updated>
            <summary>
                <![CDATA[
                     Capturing my principles is a life-changing habit that Ray Dalio influenced me to start. The holidays have become my new time to pause and reflect on these beliefs. I highly recommend organizing your list, not only for yourself but to help others understand who&hellip;
                ]]>
            </summary>
        <content type="html">
            <![CDATA[
                <div class="kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q">
<div dir="auto">Capturing my principles is a life-changing habit that <a class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl q66pz984 gpro0wi8 b1v8xokw" href="https://www.facebook.com/raydalio/?__cft__[0]=AZUy1tDWAsb9lTArqgsOkEGXR5_obUO5cdWuGNsYndltP-VxApBxpQuB8jksNagISzdSuKFAm8u3ptZHsryvgNVBXgNFCwoQP4mR7-qSaHTkaZ3Z4wh4Tp4nMTGrg25pKGO4LUjDwMpHtRn5bdHOqzxs&amp;__tn__=kK-R" role="link" tabindex="0"><span class="nc684nl6">Ray Dalio</span></a> influenced me to start.</div>
<div dir="auto"> </div>
<div dir="auto">The holidays have become my new time to pause and reflect on these beliefs.</div>
</div>
<div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q">
<div dir="auto">I highly recommend organizing your list, not only for yourself but to help others understand who you are and to pass down your hard-earned lessons to your loved ones.</div>
</div>
<div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q">
<div dir="auto"> </div>
<div dir="auto">My principle #5 from 2019 saved me several times this year. "Everything looks big up close; that is why it is important to give yourself some time to step away from a problem to see it for what it is."</div>
</div>
<div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q">
<div dir="auto"> </div>
<div dir="auto">These are my top principles from 2020, which cluster a lot around conserving my energy and risk. <a href="https://www.jonkragh.com/jon-kragh-30-life-principles-in-2019.html">My leading principle from 2019</a> is still my most important one, "Expectations drive behavior. Behavior impacts outcomes."</div>
<div dir="auto"> </div>
</div>
<div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q">New in 2020</div>
<div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q">
<ol>
<li dir="auto">Avoid thoughts that make you weak. (influenced by Peterson)</li>
<li dir="auto">Without risk, there can not be faith. (influenced by Kierkegaard)</li>
<li dir="auto">How you communicate is just as important as what you say.</li>
<li dir="auto">There is more to admire in humankind than to despise.</li>
<li dir="auto">Do not tranquilize yourself with the trivial; focus on what is meaningful. (influenced by Kierkegaard)</li>
<li dir="auto">Do not waste big energy on small problems.</li>
<li dir="auto">Get momentum at the right time - amplify effort when it's most important.</li>
<li dir="auto">Engaging with cynics that do not have their own ideas is a waste of time; engaging with cynics with unique and different approaches can be useful. It is much easier to describe problems than solve problems.</li>
<li dir="auto">Master the moment. Be grateful for beauty in the moment, push past your breaking point in the moment, control your emotions in the moment. (influenced by Brian Dawkins)</li>
<li dir="auto">You will never be fully ready; commit anyway.</li>
<li dir="auto">Avoid building things that people do not want.</li>
<li dir="auto">Be disciplined to work through terrible first ideas to get to the great idea.</li>
<li dir="auto">Work both smart and hard.</li>
<li dir="auto">Don't preach to people. Instead, plant a seed and let them discover. This approach is much more effective, and they will not be resentful.</li>
<li dir="auto">Turn your pain into your power. Willingly enter into pain.</li>
<li dir="auto">Build things that will be a possession for all generations.</li>
<li dir="auto">It's ok to have flaws but avoid fatal flaws. Fatal flaws are dangerous and timeless; they are the central idea of Greek tragedies (i.e., how many great people fell with one bad move?).</li>
</ol>
<div dir="auto"> </div>
<div dir="auto"><a href="https://www.jonkragh.com/jon-kragh-30-life-principles-in-2019.html">My 2019 list that I made over several years is here.</a><a href="https://www.jonkragh.com/jon-kragh-30-life-principles-in-2019.html"></a></div>
</div>
            ]]>
        </content>
    </entry>
    <entry>
        <title>How to Prioritize</title>
        <author>
            <name>Jon Kragh</name>
        </author>
        <link href="https://www.jonkragh.com/how-to-prioritize.html"/>
        <id>https://www.jonkragh.com/how-to-prioritize.html</id>

        <updated>2020-10-29T13:57:30-04:00</updated>
            <summary>
                <![CDATA[
                    Do you feel busy, but you're still not getting anything important done? Then this prioritization model will help you get more meaningful results in your life. My researcher for jonkragh.com did two months of research across 19 prioritization frameworks from product management, healthcare, and other&hellip;
                ]]>
            </summary>
        <content type="html">
            <![CDATA[
                <p><span class="style-scope yt-formatted-string" dir="auto">Do you feel busy, but you're still not getting anything important done? </span></p>
<p><span class="style-scope yt-formatted-string" dir="auto">Then this prioritization model will help you get more meaningful results in your life. My researcher for jonkragh.com did two months of research across 19 prioritization frameworks from product management, healthcare, and other disciplines. </span></p>
<p><span class="style-scope yt-formatted-string" dir="auto">The result is a simple mental model that you can use in business and your personal life to determine what "first things" should be first. </span></p>
<figure class="post__video"><iframe loading="lazy" width="560" height="314" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ixghAx0SbWA" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></figure>
            ]]>
        </content>
    </entry>
    <entry>
        <title>How to use metaphor in business</title>
        <author>
            <name>Jon Kragh</name>
        </author>
        <link href="https://www.jonkragh.com/how-to-use-metaphor-in-business.html"/>
        <id>https://www.jonkragh.com/how-to-use-metaphor-in-business.html</id>
            <category term="homepage"/>

        <updated>2020-06-29T09:02:33-04:00</updated>
            <summary>
                <![CDATA[
                        <img src="https://www.jonkragh.com/media/posts/9/How-to-use-metaphor-in-business-jon-kragh.png" alt="" />
                     Key Takeaways: Metaphors are one of the most powerful tools that I use in business. They convert prose into poetry and transform even the most mundane business communication into an enticing and informative experience. Based on my experience, I have outlined practical takeaways that&hellip;
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            </summary>
        <content type="html">
            <![CDATA[
                    <img src="https://www.jonkragh.com/media/posts/9/How-to-use-metaphor-in-business-jon-kragh.png" alt="" />
                <p> </p>
<p><strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Key Takeaways:</span></strong></p>
<ol>
<li><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Metaphors facilitate communication. </span></li>
<li><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Metaphors simplify key ideas. </span></li>
<li>Metaphors capture attention.</li>
<li>Metaphors enhance people’s view of you.</li>
<li>Metaphors add passion.</li>
</ol>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Metaphors are one of the most powerful tools that I use in business. They convert prose into poetry and transform even the most mundane business communication into an enticing and informative experience. Based on my experience, I have outlined practical takeaways that you can use to unleash the power of metaphor in your business interactions.</span></p>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Metaphors breathe life into language and make ideas come alive, creating a bridge between concept and experience. Using them effectively is the difference between a mediocre or enthusiastic response because metaphors express meaning, context, information, and complexity in a compact space. Metaphors help you say more with less and help you distinguish your business value from competitors.</span></p>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">The best metaphors inspire interest and command attention, even on subjects people otherwise find uninteresting, helping people retain information longer. Mediocre metaphors may make your point, but don’t generate enthusiasm. Poorly chosen metaphors may even create a negative response from your audience.</span></p>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">For example, as I write this blog during the COVID-19 pandemic and the current racial outrage with law enforcement, many metaphors that were effective in 2019, are not wise to use now. I would question mentioning “viral” marketing, “spreading” ideas, or “vaccinating” employees against negativity. “Policing” one’s inventory, or “beating down” the competition would also raise eyebrows and unwanted ire.</span></p>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Understanding your audience is critical. American football metaphors work exceptionally well in Boston but would fall flat in Mumbai. Mountaineering metaphors are welcome with outdoor enthusiasts in Denver but would be on their last legs with retirees in Miami. </span></p>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Many common metaphors were exciting when first coined but have since overstayed their welcome or are inappropriate. Imagine explaining a financial plan to those retirees in Miami. Is there any advantage with advising them to “start with the low-hanging fruit,” which is overused and cliched, or warning them that “investments are a roller coaster”?</span></p>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">With the above perspective in mind, here are my top 10 takeaways on using metaphors in business: </span></p>
<ol>
<li><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Use metaphors that address the positive experiences and passions of your audience. Doing this will secure their interest in your message.</span></li>
<li><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Avoid stale metaphors and create new ones instead. There are infinite possibilities.</span></li>
<li><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Steer away from metaphors about current events that evoke feelings of anger, sadness, outrage, or division.</span></li>
<li><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Keep it simple and use only one category. If you employ animal metaphors, don’t jump to weather metaphors. </span></li>
<li><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Use metaphors to create a picture that engages emotion, memory, and understanding. </span></li>
<li><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Since your goal is to make your content highly attractive, the metaphor should not overwhelm your message. Metaphors are most potent when their meaning builds subtly, slowly, and methodically. </span></li>
<li><span data-preserver-spaces="true">To find a metaphor unique to you and your business, think beyond what is expected. For compelling ideas, look around your office, your home, or think about your last vacation. You may find the treasure you seek by recalling a recent experience or browsing a travel website.</span></li>
<li><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Breathe life into your metaphors by adding details that appeal to your sense of beauty, taste, smell, texture, sound, and emotion. Like a good marketing campaign, your metaphor should be absorbing and persuasive. </span></li>
<li><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Test your metaphor before using it with an audience. Consider collecting responses from coworkers or trusted confidants. Be willing to discard your metaphor for a better choice. </span></li>
<li><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Take note of the metaphors being used by clients, customers, and competitors. These observations will provide a window of insight into their strategies, desires, fears, intentions, strengths, and weaknesses. </span></li>
</ol>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">If you wish to dive deeply into the realm of metaphors, you can review this </span><a target="_blank" href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BZKEzxhuuPzmox1fZ-b-AnhzlW-q3gYaBucr01pLW5Y/edit" class="_e75a791d-denali-editor-page-rtfLink" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Google document</span></a><span data-preserver-spaces="true"> that we used to research this topic. </span></p>
<p> </p>
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        </content>
    </entry>
    <entry>
        <title>Overcoming Confirmation Bias</title>
        <author>
            <name>Jon Kragh</name>
        </author>
        <link href="https://www.jonkragh.com/overcoming-confirmation-bias.html"/>
        <id>https://www.jonkragh.com/overcoming-confirmation-bias.html</id>
            <category term="homepage"/>

        <updated>2020-06-12T22:38:13-04:00</updated>
            <summary>
                <![CDATA[
                        <img src="https://www.jonkragh.com/media/posts/8/overcoming-confirmation-bias.png" alt="" />
                    In a quest to make better decisions, I have been researching confirmation bias and cognitive dissonance. This research has made me more aware of my blind spots and how to overcome them. As a side benefit, I can also identify other people's biases more effectively.
                ]]>
            </summary>
        <content type="html">
            <![CDATA[
                    <img src="https://www.jonkragh.com/media/posts/8/overcoming-confirmation-bias.png" alt="" />
                <p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">In a quest to make better decisions, I have been researching confirmation bias and cognitive dissonance. This research has made me more aware of my blind spots and how to overcome them. As a side benefit, I can also identify other people's biases more effectively.</span></p>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">This post focuses on overcoming confirmation bias, and another post focuses on overcoming cognitive dissonance.</span></p>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">My research approach follows a standard process. First, my research team aggregates all of the main articles on a topic into a single file. From there, my team finds common themes and consolidates those themes into a single file that drives the key takeaways in these posts.</span></p>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">These are my top ten takeaways from the confirmation bias research. If you want to dig deeper,<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/19GqK8am0dYwUFohd4JPZFPS8WRFCatin09syGG-vsWQ/edit?usp=sharing"> you can use this Google document with all of the deep-dive content</a>. That document contains actionable techniques to help you make better decisions by systematically becoming aware of and overcoming your own biases.</span></p>
<ol>
<li><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Confirmation bias is a type of cognitive bias that involves favoring information that confirms our previously existing beliefs. </span></li>
<li><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Confirmation bias can lead to poor decisions, wrong choices, and can cause us to think unobjectively. These poor outcomes can happen when we miss important information by not seeking objective facts and not interpreting information that opposes our views and beliefs.</span></li>
<li><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Confirmation bias impacts how we gather information and influences how we understand and recall that information.</span></li>
<li><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Confirmation bias explains why two people with opposing views on a topic can see the same evidence and come away feeling correct and validated by it. When people have opposing ingrained ideological and emotionally charged views, cognitive bias becomes more pronounced.</span></li>
<li><span data-preserver-spaces="true">People experience confirmation bias because people do not want to find out that they are wrong, commonly known as challenge avoidance.</span></li>
<li><span data-preserver-spaces="true">People only want to find out that they are right, widely known as reinforcement seeking. </span></li>
<li><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Overcoming confirmation bias is all about changing your approach. Let go of the fear of being wrong, confront your ego, be comfortable with disagreements, and, most importantly, avoid forming conclusions without appropriate facts. </span></li>
<li><span data-preserver-spaces="true">You can overcome confirmation bias by asking great questions, keeping information channels open, as well as pressure testing your ideas with others, especially with smart people who disagree with you.</span></li>
<li><span data-preserver-spaces="true">You can help other people to overcome confirmation biases by slowing down the reasoning process, encouraging them to avoid forming a hypothesis too early, and improving the way you present information (i.e., by giving simple explanations instead of complex ones).</span></li>
<li><span data-preserver-spaces="true">In a business situation, you can help people overcome confirmation bias by increasing their accountability and involving them in the decision-making process. In other words, make their decisions matter, which tends to lead to improved objectivity when responsible for the outcome.</span></li>
</ol>
<p> </p>
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        </content>
    </entry>
    <entry>
        <title>How to Use Empathy in Business Conversations</title>
        <author>
            <name>Jon Kragh</name>
        </author>
        <link href="https://www.jonkragh.com/how-to-use-empathy-in-business.html"/>
        <id>https://www.jonkragh.com/how-to-use-empathy-in-business.html</id>
            <category term="homepage"/>

        <updated>2020-04-26T07:57:01-04:00</updated>
            <summary>
                <![CDATA[
                    A quick video on how to use tactical empathy in human interations. Content mentioned: Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss: https://amzn.to/2NESYR2 Beyond Winning by Robert Mnookin: https://amzn.to/2NHQqRY 
                ]]>
            </summary>
        <content type="html">
            <![CDATA[
                <p>A quick video on how to use tactical empathy in human interations.<br><br><div class="post__iframe"><iframe loading="lazy" width="560" height="314" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tlfN8dsJsOY" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
<p><span class="style-scope yt-formatted-string" dir="auto"> Content mentioned: </span></p>
<ul>
<li><span class="style-scope yt-formatted-string" dir="auto">Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss: </span><a class="yt-simple-endpoint style-scope yt-formatted-string" spellcheck="false" href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?v=tlfN8dsJsOY&amp;event=video_description&amp;q=https%3A%2F%2Famzn.to%2F2NESYR2&amp;redir_token=hIcA5gOJpFUSiOofmIrCSczkrpx8MTU4Nzk1MDczMkAxNTg3ODY0MzMy" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" dir="auto">https://amzn.to/2NESYR2</a></li>
<li><span class="style-scope yt-formatted-string" dir="auto">Beyond Winning by Robert Mnookin: </span><a class="yt-simple-endpoint style-scope yt-formatted-string" spellcheck="false" href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?v=tlfN8dsJsOY&amp;event=video_description&amp;q=https%3A%2F%2Famzn.to%2F2NHQqRY&amp;redir_token=hIcA5gOJpFUSiOofmIrCSczkrpx8MTU4Nzk1MDczMkAxNTg3ODY0MzMy" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" dir="auto">https://amzn.to/2NHQqRY</a></li>
</ul>
            ]]>
        </content>
    </entry>
    <entry>
        <title>Free Empowering Questions Worksheet</title>
        <author>
            <name>Jon Kragh</name>
        </author>
        <link href="https://www.jonkragh.com/free-empowering-questions-worksheet.html"/>
        <id>https://www.jonkragh.com/free-empowering-questions-worksheet.html</id>
            <category term="homepage"/>

        <updated>2020-04-25T21:26:31-04:00</updated>
            <summary>
                <![CDATA[
                        <img src="https://www.jonkragh.com/media/posts/6/jon-kragh-empowering-questions.png" alt="" />
                    I have been obsessed with the power questions over the last few years. Like the urgent rush of a flash flood rainstorm, a great question can dramatically alter the people around you. Being mindful of the question superpower, I have been careful with the questions&hellip;
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            </summary>
        <content type="html">
            <![CDATA[
                    <img src="https://www.jonkragh.com/media/posts/6/jon-kragh-empowering-questions.png" alt="" />
                <p>I have been obsessed with the power questions over the last few years. </p>
<p>Like the urgent rush of a flash flood rainstorm, a great question can dramatically alter the people around you. </p>
<blockquote>“The ability to ask the right question is more than half the battle of finding the answer.” -Thomas J. Watson (CEO of IBM 1914 to 1956)</blockquote>
<blockquote>“Quality questions create a quality life. Successful people ask better questions, and as a result, they get better answers.” -Anthony Robbins</blockquote>
<blockquote>“Good leaders ask great questions that inspire others to dream more, think more, learn more, do more, and become more.” -John Maxwell</blockquote>
<p>Being mindful of the question superpower, I have been careful with the questions I ask others and to myself.</p>
<p>Over the last year, my research assistant and I have cataloged my favorite questions for personal development, professional development, and leadership into the Google document linked below. </p>
<p>This research was (and still is) a passion project to help myself, with the long-term intention of sharing this question research with others. The day is here, and the downloadable and printable worksheet is here:</p>
<p><a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2F2xMxUDw%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR2suAHVnUPC_Xwou_kw2C85MpLVjM-PFAtu7l-lwzrytdQqBfKO9-QDHh4&amp;h=AT2y2LnRLmAGE6DZmKAycfKR4Kf7lqg7WPUGb-kgHDNsjc3VZLUOskiHF24Bzl1DLZCW752uadWqLQFpknXcq1uhoyNwyYPQB95QLY2d5IhlhNzm-ATIQ5jQDTgf8kWpyQ&amp;__tn__=-UK*F" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://bit.ly/2xMxUDw</a> </p>
            ]]>
        </content>
    </entry>
    <entry>
        <title>Jon Kragh&#x27;s 30 Life Principles in 2019</title>
        <author>
            <name>Jon Kragh</name>
        </author>
        <link href="https://www.jonkragh.com/jon-kragh-30-life-principles-in-2019.html"/>
        <id>https://www.jonkragh.com/jon-kragh-30-life-principles-in-2019.html</id>
            <category term="homepage"/>

        <updated>2021-07-18T07:32:14-04:00</updated>
            <summary>
                <![CDATA[
                        <img src="https://www.jonkragh.com/media/posts/5/30-Life-Principles.png" alt="Jon Kragh 30 Life Principles in 2019" />
                    My personal goal on this 2019 holiday break, outside of family time, was to organize my beliefs. This list is not complete, but it covers my top 30 beliefs that I have cataloged over the past two years. My process has been to write things&hellip;
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                    <img src="https://www.jonkragh.com/media/posts/5/30-Life-Principles.png" alt="Jon Kragh 30 Life Principles in 2019" />
                <p>My personal goal on this 2019 holiday break, outside of family time, was to organize my beliefs.</p>
<p>This list is not complete, but it covers my top 30 beliefs that I have cataloged over the past two years. My process has been to write things down that I feel are true, for reflection. The list below is my best list today.</p>
<p>I was heavily influenced by Ray Dalio to start this process and I highly recommend organizing your own list, not only for yourself but to help others understand who you are and to pass down your hard-earned lessons to your loved ones.</p>
<ol>
<li>Expectations drive behavior. Behavior impacts outcomes.</li>
<li>You always have way more in you than you think you have. Take on the heavy load, you will figure out how to handle it.</li>
<li>Small steps add up, break things down then build them up.</li>
<li>Words have power. Words can live forever. Writing creates influence and immortality.</li>
<li>Everything looks big up close that is why it is important to give yourself some time to step away from a problem to see it for what it is.</li>
<li>Beliefs do not have to be scientifically proven to help your outcomes.</li>
<li>What you think about expands.</li>
<li>Do not judge difficulty by first try efforts.</li>
<li>Life is filled with patterns that repeat themselves over and over. Identifying and becoming aware of these patterns yields great power.</li>
<li>Much of life is a self-fulfilling prophecy.</li>
<li>Pain and failure produce the greatest push forward, if you use it to your advantage.</li>
<li>Know the difference between opinions and advice.</li>
<li>We overestimate what we can do in the short term but underestimate the long term.</li>
<li>Do not look for yes men or women, they do not serve you well.</li>
<li>Reflection is vital. Failure without reflection is just pain. Reflection will pay off 10x the effort to reflect.</li>
<li>Jump on opportunity when it arises.</li>
<li>Small steps can build massive momentum. Focus on one small victory at a time.</li>
<li>There is something that the other person knows that you do not, even when they may be mostly wrong, there is something you can learn from everyone.</li>
<li>Taking full responsibility for the circumstances of my life is an empowering and practical approach.</li>
<li>I can alter my life by altering my attitude.</li>
<li>Spend less time worrying and more time pushing ahead.</li>
<li>People's attitudes towards you are a reflection of them more so than it is of you.</li>
<li>I am happening to this world, the world is not happening to me.</li>
<li>Think long-term.</li>
<li>Win long-term by choosing faith over fear in the moment.</li>
<li>Listening and practicing tactical empathy is one of the most effective forms of influence and at the same time, self-improvement that exists.</li>
<li>Constantly look for ways to use the minimum amount of effort to get the maximum amount of learning.</li>
<li>Customer service and customer-centricity are extremely valuable and underestimated.</li>
<li>Hire A players rather than B and C players.</li>
<li>I must believe it before I will see it.</li>
</ol>
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    </entry>
    <entry>
        <title>About Jon Kragh</title>
        <author>
            <name>Jon Kragh</name>
        </author>
        <link href="https://www.jonkragh.com/about-jon-kragh.html"/>
        <id>https://www.jonkragh.com/about-jon-kragh.html</id>

        <updated>2021-07-18T18:56:11-04:00</updated>
            <summary>
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                     "Once you define me, you negate me" - Soren Kierkegaard. The next question is, why write a personal blog in the first place? I have other websites with clear goals, such as selling technology consulting services or selling Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) products. The answer to that question became apparent&hellip;
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                <blockquote>
<p>"Once you define me, you negate me" - Soren Kierkegaard.</p>
</blockquote>
<div>Kierkegaard's quote portrays why I was so hesitant to blog for years. Am I a technologist? Am I a father? Am I an entrepreneur?</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The answer is, I am all of these things, and I suspect you also live in this world under many personas. Consequently, this blog explores improving the many personas I live through and will not triangulate on a specific topic.</div>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">The next question is, why write a personal blog in the first place? I have other websites with clear goals, such as </span><a target="_blank" href="https://www.proactivelogic.com/" class="editor-rtfLink" rel="noopener"><span data-preserver-spaces="true">selling technology consulting services</span></a><span data-preserver-spaces="true"> or </span><a target="_blank" href="https://www.mysellerpal.com/" class="editor-rtfLink" rel="noopener"><span data-preserver-spaces="true">selling Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) products</span></a><span data-preserver-spaces="true">.</span></p>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">The answer to that question became apparent over the past few years as I have seen too many people pass away, and all of their knowledge ends up wasted—gone as if they never existed at all.</span></p>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">The purpose of this blog is to catalog my hard-earned lessons, to serve my children and you. This blog is where someday, my daughters can see what interested enough to memorialize. Then my daughters can either choose to learn from the meaning that I made out of my experiences or discard them for even better beliefs.</span></p>
<figure class="post__image"><img loading="lazy"  src="https://www.jonkragh.com/media/posts/4/DSC06259.jpg" sizes="(max-width: 48em) 100vw, 768px" srcset="https://www.jonkragh.com/media/posts/4/responsive/DSC06259-xs.jpg 300w ,https://www.jonkragh.com/media/posts/4/responsive/DSC06259-sm.jpg 480w ,https://www.jonkragh.com/media/posts/4/responsive/DSC06259-md.jpg 768w ,https://www.jonkragh.com/media/posts/4/responsive/DSC06259-lg.jpg 1024w ,https://www.jonkragh.com/media/posts/4/responsive/DSC06259-xl.jpg 1360w ,https://www.jonkragh.com/media/posts/4/responsive/DSC06259-2xl.jpg 1600w"  alt="" width="2608" height="2608"></figure>
<p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.principles.com/" class="editor-rtfLink" rel="noopener"><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Ray Dalio's Principles</span></a><span data-preserver-spaces="true"> and his approach to cataloging his beliefs are a vital influence on me. I read Ray's original Principle's PDF around 2006 when I interviewed at Bridgewater for a software development position. After reading the internal Bridgewater Principles PDF, I committed to his approach to be purposeful and catalog my constant improvement journey.</span></p>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">I use Ray's decision-making method and reflection to capture my life principles and now post them yearly (my </span><a target="_blank" href="https://www.jonkragh.com/jon-kragh-30-life-principles-in-2019.html" class="editor-rtfLink" rel="noopener"><span data-preserver-spaces="true">foundational 2019 principles</span></a><span data-preserver-spaces="true"> and </span><a target="_blank" href="https://www.jonkragh.com/jon-kraghs-additional-life-principles-in-2020.html" class="editor-rtfLink" rel="noopener"><span data-preserver-spaces="true">continued in 2020</span></a><span data-preserver-spaces="true">). </span></p>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Ray also influenced me to learn about my innate strengths and weaknesses by performing personality assessments. UnderstandMyself.com has the best methodology that I have found to determine your position on the big five personality scale. </span><a target="_blank" href="https://www.jonkragh.com/Jon%20Kragh%20-%20The%20Big%20Five%20Aspects%20Scale.pdf" class="editor-rtfLink" rel="noopener"><span data-preserver-spaces="true">My report helped me identify</span></a><span data-preserver-spaces="true"> my position and better understand myself.</span></p>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">If a relentless pursuit of truth and constant improvement is part of your nature, I hope that you will find something on this blog to help make you better. It might be a video, a quote, a book, or something else here that will make you better.</span></p>
<blockquote>
<p>"Most powerful is he who has himself in his own power." - Lucius Annaeus Seneca</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Mindset will be a critical foundation of this blog. I have spent years mastering thyself, and when I'm at my best, I find myself somewhere between Marcus Aurelius's stoic mindset and Paul the Apostle's massive mountain-moving faith. I also work out at 5 am every morning. For years I had done <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EJmrD7Gt8ZALl5jCSYmTwJ3oYAiRwctwzQO89kGhce8/edit?usp=sharing">a routine I invented</a> for maximum results for energy invested (i.e., return on invested time and energy); however, I have recently transitioned to a few <a href="https://athleanx.com/">Athlean-x</a> programs, because Jeff Cavaliere is much more qualified than I was to create a fitness program.</p>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">My technology consulting practice, </span><a target="_blank" href="https://www.proactivelogic.com/" class="editor-rtfLink" rel="noopener"><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Proactive Logic Consulting</span></a><span data-preserver-spaces="true">, provides Chief Technology Officer (CTO) services, cloud computing, and digital transformation. Our clients include the most prominent investment firms globally, publicly-traded healthcare companies, and middle-market private equity portfolio companies. We focus on value creation, and I am obsessed with what creates value. Many topics on this blog will focus on the </span><a target="_blank" href="https://www.jonkragh.com/how-to-create-a-winning-value-proposition.html" class="editor-rtfLink" rel="noopener"><span data-preserver-spaces="true">structure of value</span></a><span data-preserver-spaces="true">.</span></p>
<h2>Current companies and products</h2>
<p><strong>Proactive Logic Consulting Inc - CEO</strong></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.proactivelogic.com/" class="editor-rtfLink" rel="noopener"><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Proactive Logic is my consulting company where we provide fractional CTO and digital transformation services.</span></a><span data-preserver-spaces="true"> We have a proprietary flex resourcing model that helps us deliver exceptional outcomes with <a href="https://www.stratechi.com/will-skill-matrix/">high-skill high-will people</a>.</span></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.trustcenter.io/">TrustCenter.io</a> - Founder</strong></p>
<p>TrustCenter.io helps businesses that handle digital information build trust with their customers. Our proprietary software, coupled with our expert services team, enables these businesses to publish security, compliance, and privacy content to align with regulations and customer expectations. While this company is a bit early to market, we believe that communicating policies externally well is a substantial future growth opportunity.</p>
<p><strong>The Jon Kragh Podcast - Focused on Value Creation</strong></p>
<p><a href="#INTERNAL_LINK#/post/null">https://www.youtube.com/c/JonKragh</a></p>
<p><strong>My Seller Pal - Founder</strong></p>
<p>My Seller Pal is a website servicing thousands Amazon Private Label sellers across the most critical Amazon marketplaces.</p>
<p>I was a guest on a podcast where I discussed the product, and <a href="https://ecommercemomentum.com/episodes/218-jon-kragh-mysellerpal-helps-create-landing-pages-products-promote-facebook-pinterest-youtube-email-list/">also covered a bit of the early history of e-commerce</a>.</p>
<h3><strong>Past companies and products</strong></h3>
<p><strong>Diyrection Records - Founder</strong></p>
<p>Diyrection Records was a "punk rock" record label and one of the first "punk rock" websites on the internet back in 1997. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/diyrection" rel="noopener noreferrer">We produced four CDs from three different bands</a>. Setup tours, shows, and more. I sang and played guitar on weekends while majoring in Computer Science.</p>
<p>Recently, we remixed one of my former band, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8orcZ0boaCs">Second Chance's songs Foundations</a>, and I discussed the technology breakthroughs we used to do this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVqrK6XWQqc&amp;t=1244s">on my podcast</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Vast Rank - Founder</strong></p>
<p>Vast Rank was a college review website that had 40K unique visitors per month in 2008. I <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LP9-M2zERo4" rel="noopener noreferrer">presented at Google I/O</a>, and I worked with crucial Google engineers on the presentation.</p>
<p><strong>Challenge Pals - Founder</strong></p>
<p>Challenge Pals was a social self-improvement website that had 100K progress posts with people improving themselves together.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.challengepals.com/">https://www.challengepals.com/</a></p>
<h3>Influences</h3>
<p>The books that have influenced me the most are:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Meditations-Philosophy-Classic-Capstone-Classics/dp/0857088467/ref=sr_1_9?dchild=1&amp;keywords=meditations+marcus+aurelius&amp;qid=1626612056&amp;sr=8-9">Meditations, Marcus Aurelias </a> - link to my favorite print</li>
<li>Principles, Ray Dalio - lifechanging work for me.</li>
<li>Break Out, Joel Osteen - anytime I want to go big, I go here.</li>
<li>Beyond Winning: Negotiating to Create Value in Deals and Disputes, Robert H. Mnookin</li>
<li>Can't Hurt Me, David Goggins</li>
<li>Understanding Michael Porter: The Essential Guide to Competition and Strategy, Joan Magretta</li>
<li>12 Rules for Life, Jordan Peterson</li>
<li>The Hero of a Thousand Faces, Joseph Cambell</li>
<li>Shoe Dog, Phil Night</li>
<li>I Can See Clearly Now, Wayne Dyer</li>
</ul>
<p>The people that have influenced me the most are:</p>
<ul>
<li>My wife, my parents, my children, and my brother</li>
<li>My inner circle of friends</li>
<li>Ray Dalio</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFaYLR_1aryjfB7hLrKGRaQ">Michael Sugrue</a></li>
<li>Peter Theil</li>
<li>Tony Robbins</li>
<li>TD Jakes - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuJrVkcd7Oc">My favorite sermon</a>. </li>
<li>Joel Osteen</li>
<li>Michael Porter
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Redefining-Health-Care-Value-Based-Competition/dp/1591397782">Redefining Health Care: Creating Value-Based Competition on Results</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Michael-Porter-audiobook/dp/B006KZ8H0Y/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2G779JZYXZMOF&amp;dchild=1&amp;keywords=understanding+michael+porter&amp;qid=1626611990&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=unerstanding+mich%2Cstripbooks%2C148&amp;sr=1-1">Understanding Michael Porter: The Essential Guide to Competition and Strategy</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Flint McGlaughlin</li>
<li>Andrew Ng</li>
<li>Brian Dawkins</li>
</ul>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">I also have several coaches. If you are a business leader, I highly recommend my coach, </span><a target="_blank" href="https://www.stratechi.com/joe-newsum/" class="editor-rtfLink" rel="noopener"><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Joe Newsum, one of the world's best thought leaders on strategy</span></a><span data-preserver-spaces="true">.</span></p>
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