Forget the 4th – How about celebrating the 8th?

Well, this is very interesting, and everyone will be amazed. The 8th of July! What is so different about the 8th of July this year?

At five minutes and six seconds after 4 a.m. on the 8th of July, the time and date will be 04:05:06 07/08/09. This will never happen again.

I think we should use this unique day to reflect on our distinctiveness.

Spend the day creating mindfulness of what makes you different. So often people try to emulate other situations, styles and personas. I say STOP! Be your own unique self.

In this difficult economy, companies are looking for ways to distinguish themselves from their competitors. Employees are looking for ways to secure their positions or find new ones. That means you have to put on your game face and strategize on creating distinctiveness.

Consider these as starters:

1. Humorous – Dump the dour face and sad stories. Nobody cares. You can separate yourself by adding humor to promoting yourself, your company, your product . . . anything with a little levity. If you choose to be glum, plan on spending much of your 24 hours with yourself. Lighten up!

2. Warm – In this “text me”-infested world, graciousness, connection and warmth seem to be saved for the “Kumbaya” campfire outings. Not so. People want the personal connection, the handwritten notes and the phone call instead of the e-mail.

3. Straightforward – Call them as you see them, but remember #2. Don’t beat around the bush, but be kind. Stay focused with a realistic approach. It is all about personal responsibility, communications and professional development.

4. Positive – Negative people suck the life out of just about anything. So think about stopping the downward spiral or falling for somebody’s sad story. Create your own realistic, encouraging environment. Target your own mental terrorism and replace with an optimistic outlook.

5. Knowledgeable – Keep investing in your own learning, and don’t expect others to foot the bill. Order some new resource by July 8! I just preordered Larry Winget’s new book No Time for Tact: 365 Days of the Wit, Words, and Wisdom of Larry Winget (hardcover, August 25, 2009) from Amazon. Or how about my new book, The Reactor Factor: How to Handle Difficult Work Situations Without Going Nuclear on Amazon?

So hurry up! July 8th is only a few days away. What will you do? Please share.

Marsha