The list for high achievement

While earning my MBA, I developed an interest in high achievement. Granted, high achievement is subjective, so feel free to replace high achievement with your heart’s desire. To seek guidance on this subject, I read. By the time I read the 3rd book on this topic, I noticed a trend. After the 7th book, I decided to create a spreadsheet of overlapping principles. From this spreadsheet, I created a list of the principles that existed in 3 or more books. The list is as follows:

1. Desire and diligence

2. Vision

3. Proactive, doing what is important

4. Reaffirming belief in success

5. Specialized knowledge

6. Think different

7. Plan

9. Utilize a counsel (team)

10. Do what you love, love what you do

11. Don’t fear failure

12. Listen and understand others

13. Don’t overreact, control emotions

14. Control greed and expenses

15. Continuously learn

16. Evaluate and refine often

17. Never give up

For the record, I don’t believe in a recipe for success; I do believe all high achievement includes some aspect of these principles. Find a high achiever and you’ll find the principles in this list.

I took over 1,000 pictures in Chile and Argentina (January 2011). I painfully cut it down to my 10 favorite.  I also posted my 10 favorite water photos on my water blog.

9 lesson learned in Patagonia

I’m mid-trip traveling through Northern Patagonia. On a 4-hour drive today, I began to reflect on this experience and recognized several lessons I’ve learned thus far.

1. Body Language is important. Even my Spanglish is weak. Nevertheless, I’ve successfully carried on great conversations where neither party understood a word spoken. The only means of conveyance was body language.

2. Slow Down. This is hypocritical coming from me, but I’ve come to appreciate the pace of Patagonia. Don’t confuse activity with productivity.

3. Family Matters. I’m here with my wife Linsey and that means more to me than experiencing Patagonia alone or with friends. It also reminds me of previous family vacations. Furthermore, we attended an ASADO where the basis of the fun was not food, but instead family–and we were treated as family. Thank you Gonzalez’s and Ortiz’s.

4. Trout are tough. Trout possess a reputation as a delicate species that only dine on very small bugs. You don’t proliferate as successfully as they have without being tough and eating meat. Fish streamers.

5. Eat clean and lean. Last night’s dinner consisted of Patagonian lamb cooked over an open fire. Why Patagonian lamb? Because of their grassfed diets and rugged terrain. Similar to the organic grassfed beef of Montana, this species is clean and lean.

6. Local Matters. In a globalized world, the word “local” is becoming increasingly important. Local means fresh and local produces pride. Local matter’s when drinking craft beer in Montana, and it matters when drinking craft beer in Patagonia.

7. Mountains are healthy. In Montana, New Zealand, and now Patagonia,  I’ve noticed mountains impact people. It makes people want to climb, run, jump, swim, and explore. Mountains create energy and mountains create fitness.

8. Be authentic. Even to outsiders, fake shines through.  Authenticity is obvious and should be the basis for all brand experiences.  It doesn’t have to be great, but it needs to be real.

9.The web is world wide. This post is coming courtesy of a wireless connection in the heart of Patagonia.  I’m pretty sure the web is not a fad and neither is social media.

Why we fish? 

To catch fish, right? No, to catch BIG fish, right? Not necessarily. At least, that is what I’ve learned.

I’m posting this blog minutes before I walk out the door on a Patagonia fishing excursion based from Pucon, Chile.  On this journey, I’ll be equipped with a Chilean cruiser bike, a map I made, directions to a gate, a six-weight fly rod, a box full of sculpzillas, and a big smile on my face.

This will represent my 3rd trip to this region and I have yet to catch many fish or large fish.  Although, I have caught up on my spanglish; I have caught a ride back into town after my bike broke down; I have caught delicious roadside bread; I have caught stream chilled beer and new friends; and, I have caught some of my fondest fishing memories. I’m not saying that catching fish isn’t fun, but I am saying that —for me— I’ve come to embrace the experience. It’s this adventure that calls my name.

My first post: I'm a blogger

Note: I transfered from Wordpress to Tumblr on October 20,2012. This blog originated January 2011.  

I’m a blogger. I’ve blogged about water rights and water markets at activelymovingwater.com for a couple of years. Through this process, I have discovered that blogging is good for you. It makes you explore, grow, create, and think.  It provides a platform to express what you believe in—what wakes you up in the morning and what excites you. Since my thoughts, ideas, and passions, expand the boundaries of water rights and water markets, I decided I needed my own space. And this is it. Enjoy!

the fire in the belly

The best advice I ever received was: “do what makes you happy." I heard this for years. Now, I understand what it means.  

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1980: Born to Bill and Sally Corbin, the greatest parents ever.

1985: Caught my first smallmouth bass—my first lesson in passion.

1986: Chopped down a tree with a hammer—my first lesson in persistence.

1987: Won a roller skating dance contest with a single dance move—my first lesson in marketing.

1990: Covered my entire room and body with Michael Jordan gear—my first lesson in brand experience.

1992: Returned a stolen walnut to the store manager—my first lesson in honesty. Thanks Mom.

1994: Totaled my parent’s minivan—my first lesson in experience.

1998: Set a school record for most losses as a starting quarterback—my second lesson in persistence.

1999: Graduated from Siloam Springs High School—headed west in pursuit of HAPPY.

2003: Graduated from the University of Montana with a degree in Fly Fishing. “Do what makes you Happy" 

2004: Marketed water rights at the Montana Water Trust—my first lesson in specialized knowledge.

2006: Married Linsey Corbin—my first lesson in love.

2007: Received an MBA—the beginning of my pursuit to continuously learn.

2008: Failed to launch White River Brewery, and sold the business plan to USC—my second lesson in entrepreneurship.

2009: Failed to launch Brew Solutions, Inc.,a plastic beer keg company—my third lesson in entrepreneurship.

2009: Founded Lotic LLC, a water rights marketing and management company—my on-going lesson in entrepreneurship.

2010: Founded CorbinBrands LLC—an umbrella company for all other ideas and marketing endeavors.

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My latest quest for happiness is to better understand the role of STORY in the world of digital media. This path feels better below my feet than any that have come before it.

Why?

 Because the fire in the belly continues to burn. 

Chris Corbin

chris@corbinbrands.com
406.531.9156