Julia Gillard reckons the reason she knifed Kevin was that he didn’t have a vision for the future of the country.
And she does.

So, she’s pushing the carbon tax thing.

Good on her.

She’s doing something positive. Actions speak louder than words. Which is a good thing, because the words aren’t saying much. And that, I believe, is the trouble she’s facing.
Not the introduction of the tax.
But the silence from her side.
Nature abhors a vacuum.

In the absence of information, people will make up their own.

No wonder Hey Abbott is winning the polls. He’s the only one saying anything about the issue. Even if it’s all negative. People have been elected on less.

Why can’t someone from her government say, “Charging people more will help them choose to use less.”

We need to reduce carbon emissions. We had a go at doing it ourselves.
We failed.
Time for a little external convincement.

I won’t like having to rearrange the habits of my life.

But I’ll do it.

Because it may just make things easier for my kids.

And aren’t Australians always banging on about how clever we are.

If it’s too hard to get comfortable using carbon emitting products, my gut feel is that some bright spark will invent a way of getting comfortable in some other way.

Nature abhors a vacuum.

Julia’s trouble, I reckon, is that it seems like a complicated issue.
An issue that will need clever solutions
From clever people. So any answer needs to be swathed in clever talk – to show how clever the people are who are talking. As a result, the people doing the talking are falling into the shithole of bureaucratic quasi-intellectualism, trying to prove how clever they are when we don’t give a rats about them.

All that means is we end up not listening. Because it sounds too hard.

Here’s the secret.

Talking about it won’t get it fixed.

It’s not that complicated.

Use less of stuff that’s rooting the weather.

Say it Julia.

Or we’ll assume there’s nothing inside the policy – or your government.

And, like nature, we’ll find another way of filling that space.

But we so very rarely hear one.

Sometimes, when the brand is represented by a distinctive personality – Helllooooo, Frank Walker – we recognise who is talking before we hear the name of the product or the business.

But how often does a brand have the courage to actually sound different to everyone else in the category.

Think about sports coverage.

Each caller works within the confines of the category.

Except these blokes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKFWE1xt_x0

Which may be why we still remember them even after 11 years.

The hero has 10 seconds to get through a stone door or be trapped forever.
The heroine has four hours to get to the lookout before the love of her life leaves forever.
The young boy has only enough strength to hang on for 25 more seconds.

The deadline – plus the consequence – equals excitement.

How much less exciting would it be if the woman could get to the lookout whenever she wanted?

My guess is, loverboy would be waiting up there until sometime next July.

Deadlines work. Because they force us a consequence.
To choose a life with something. And a life without something else.

In made up stories, consequences are real.
But, most of the time, in real life, the consequences aren’t.

We always believe there’s a second chance.

In relationships.
In business.
In health.

We (the generalised we – the assumed most of us, going by personal observation, no proof, just an opinion), we don’t see a consequence as final.

An un-met deadline is often just the start of a re-negotiation.
A consequence (ironically) of believing we can have it all.

And, most of the time, we get away with it – because the person we’re re-negotiating with doesn’t want to be the bad guy. To break our un-hardened hearts.

And that’s perhaps why most of us don’t handle consequences well.

But, if we did – if we saw deadlines as dragons, if the consequences we invent were accepted and not just the start of a re-negotiation – how much better would our lives be?

Consequences – genuine consequences – force us to try harder. Or not try at all.

If consequences were real – if deadlines came on the wings of dragons and not the breeze of our imaginations – my guess is we’d spend more time up front making sure we had enough time and enough information to get the job done right, to make sure we knew the other enough to believe we were getting into a good relationship, to make sure our actions wouldn’t harm our health.

And we’d be prouder of the results we ended up with.

For sports people, the math is easy. The more you work at improving yourself – honing your skills – the more likely you are to have incredible abilities.

Even people with not much ability can become champions – simply through application and hard work and sweat.

That, and not accepting the negative views of others.

As John McEnroe said of Ivan Lendl, “If he had any talent, he’d be a hell of a tennis player.”
It sounds disparaging, but there is a grudging respect for the amount of hard work the skinny Czech kid put into becoming a multiple major winner.

Greg Norman was a great golfer.

Lee Trevino once said of him, “If you had to have one person drive one ball, for your life, you’d choose Greg.”

He was majestic. Had trouble putting on Sundays. But unbelievable tee to green.

Greg’s burden, it seemed to me, was his enthusiasm for the game. He never seemed to want to win safe.
Even in the British Open two years ago. Leading by two shots going into the last day. How many of us saw him take his driver out of the bag on the first hole – in a howling gale – and silently put our heads in our hands and weep?

It seemed to me he was supremely confident in his ability. But he felt the need to prove his immense ability every time he got near the ball.

Maybe he just never learned to keep his ego in the bag. I don’t know. I’ve never met Greg. I can only guess at his motivations. Me. I’m shit at golf. He’s won two majors. What do I know?

The lesson for all of us is to use our enthusiasm to drive our evolution – to give us the impetus to turn talent into ability – but to recognise when enthusiasm turns into excitement. When the blood starts rushing. When we pick the big six iron instead of the easy 5. When we should just take a deep breath and consider the options. Not to choose the safe option. But to choose the winning option.

And we need to learn the lesson while we’re honing our ability. When we’re starting out.

Even in business.

Use your enthusiasm for what you’re good at to drive your ambition.
But remember, you don’t have to prove how brilliant you are every time someone asks for your opinion.

Sometimes ten minutes of shutting up and listening to someone says more about your ability than half an hour of you telling them everything you know.

It’s not the talk you talk. Anyone who can read a blog can look like an expert.

It’s the walk you walk.

We made a decision as a nation. And that decision is, “Whatever.”

Neither major party has a mandate.
That’s not to say there isn’t a mandate. The Australian people have essentially said, “Look, Nobby, you’ve bored the pants off us for 6 weeks, and now you’re upset that we’re telling you we don’t give a shit. Why don’t you all just get into a room and figure it out. Then get back to us when you’ve got something to say.”

And it’s not that hard to have something to say.

Labour – the small “L” liberals – should have been talking about nation building and how Australia isn’t as rooted as the rest of the world because Little Kevvy gave everyone $900. For crying out loud. Costello and Johnny had ten years of the best economic conditions the world has ever seen and the best they could think of was the “Future Fund”. Why be silent on the economy? That should have been the key issue. You didn’t just drop the ball. You couldn’t even find the damn thing.

And man up about sacking the leader. For crying out loud. We all saw it. Acknowledge it. Give him a hero’s funeral if nothing else. Then talk about building. Not moving forward. Moving up.

Labour are, historically, the nation builders. They should have been talking under the umbrella of “A Fair Go for Everyone” – levelling the playing field – and talked about investing in health, education, water and infrastructure. So everyone would be better off.

But it seems like health was a non-event. Education had the shadow of school halls rort hovering over it. Fuck it, Julia. Take it on. Every government “Big Spend Initiative” is going to have rorters lining up for their free piece of the government pie. It wouldn’t have mattered which party was in. The fact is we need investment in schools. Most schools are thanking their stars that someone is allowing them to build bloody anything. Not every school has access to big money benefactors. Schools – and parents – are grateful. It makes it easier to give kids a better education. And yet the government was silent on the issue. Morons.

And water. Other than carbon emissions, the biggest challenge facing our country EVER. Without water we die. But did either party stop sipping their imported tipple of choice long enough to piss on the rhododendrons? No.

Infrastructure. Come on Julia. Talk up the NBN. Country folk and regional people and business wallahs and educators and families are screaming for the freedom broadband can offer – fucking FREEDOM Julia, it doesn’t come much bigger than fucking freedom – and your side seemed to be happy with talking about extra rations of gruel from the warders. Tony slipped up big time withy Kerry O’Brien and your side didn’t pick up the ball. If anything, you seemed to stop and give him a hand up, dust him off, give him the ball back and say, “There you go mate, have another go.”

And not just health, education, water and infrastructure. Talk about how those are relevant to giving everyone a fair go.

A fair go for everyone.

It’s not that fucking hard, Julia.

A fair go with their health. A levelled education playing field. Enough water so we can just get on with it. And infrastructure – transport and telecommunications – so businesses can compete fairly.

So everyone gets their fair share.

And Tony? Tony. Tony. Tony.

I know a conservative is someone who doesn’t believe something should ever be done for the first time, but does that mean you had to run such a small minded campaign?

The Labour government are misfiring more than a 1960 Falcon with water in the petrol tank and all you can talk about are the bloody boats? You get all the heartache you deserve.

The conservatives (ironically called The Liberals) are nation managers.
There’s nothing wrong with managing the nation. It’s a steady-as-she-goes position and in a global economy as stuffed as this one, not a bad position.

You’re investors. You don’t spend. You encourage spending. Don’t build the road yourself – encourage others to build them. And take all the money you get from us, and pop it in the bank. Just like Mum and Dad used to do.

You are self-determination crowd.

The harder we work, the smarter we work, the better off we deserve to be. You should be the risk/reward crowd. But you ran a campaign so devoid of risk it’s no wonder you got bugger all reward for your efforts.

The conservatives should have been talking about putting a system in place that rewards people for having a go.

HAVE A GO.

Tell people, “Take the risk. Be wealthy. Be happy. Be whatever you want. We’ll take care of the big things.”

(Here’s the hint Tony. Do this, and you can talk about health and water and infrastructure and education – you get to steal the march on the Labour Party heartland – because you can fit everything under this neat umbrella. You ask us to stand up for real action. And then your party does nothing but call the other side names. That’s not action. That’s retarded.)

The one bright moment for the liberals was Malcolm Turnbull (on Q&A or Insight or whatever) agreeing that money needed to be spent to keep us out of the global toilet, but that a conservative government would have invested in infrastructure.

Fuck me. Almost sounds like the start of a real debate.

And then nothing. Almost as if both parties could smell the stench of responsibility and decided to all duck their heads back into the sweet smell of the sewer.

I think Mr Oakes was right when he called both leaders “political pygmies.”

The Big Loz was pointing to a lack of thinking on both sides. Not only no big ideas. No small ideas either.

It’s like a shopping list of stuff they heard at the supermarket.

I think both campaigns smacked of arrogance. Both major parties seemed to be saying, “It’s too difficult for the small people to understand. Just leave it to us. It’s too complicated to explain. We’ll look after it, trust us.”

Grow up. Please.

Both major parties act like there are only two choices.

Acting like we had to pick one or the other. No wonder half the country told both of them to get rooted.

That’s the result of the two-party preferred system. (Don’t get me started. That’s a while other rant.)

Both leaders are talking about negotiating with independents – but the only words I’m hearing seem to suggest they’re approaching it like the independents should be honoured or morally bound to opt for them.

Does anyone in Canberra actually understand politics and diplomacy?

Anyone?

While there are some very good people on both sides, the idiots in the party are dragging those people down to their level and beating them with experience. Bludgeoning them to death with mediocrity.

The people have spoken.

You shit me to tears. Both of you.

You don’t deserve to run the country. Neither of you.

Bad polly.

Now. Go to your room and don’t come out until you’re ready to apologise.

Why are we in business?

Why are we selling this product?

Why should our people believe us?

Why would our people get passionate about what they do?

Why are we advertising?

Why should you buy from us?

Why should you go out of your way to buy from us, again?

Why are we doing research?

Why does it cost this much?

Why does he work here?

Why do we have to do things this way?

Why can’t things be simpler?

Why shouldn’t the boss work on the floor?

Why 9 – 5?

Why here?

Why not?

Ask why.

Then act.

And a fury over Argentina’s offside goal.

And a fury over soft free kicks awarded to diving Italians.

All worthy of fury. If you follow England. Or Mexico. Or logic.

But I don’t believe the answer is video replays or another official on the pitch.
All that will do is make it easier to get the answer right.
It will let dispassion into the game.

And football needs passion.

It has skills. But, it is no more skilled than other sports – every sport has its specialised skills (anachronistic as some may be).

It has a sense of Us against Them. But, its supporters are no more parochial.

One thing football has going for it is emotion.
The fans do get more emotional – because of the human element. Because, in any competition – local, national, international – someone’s getting robbed by a bad refereeing decision.

Take away the emotion and it risks becoming just another code.

Allow stoppages – to consult video refereeing – and it’ll become a snore-fest.

The Round Ball Game is the world’s biggest game because it has an in-built passion generator.
They give their community something to get enraged about.

It’s something every other brand in the world could learn from.

Don’t try too hard to be perfect.

If you do, what will your customers get passionate about?

Gets voted in. The country’s swinging along nicely. GFC. Decides to bet pretty much half the farm on stimulus packages to get cash flowing back into Australia. Only to try to do too much – probably trying to make the big statement – only see those stimulus packages royally rooted by greedy over-grabbing arse-wipes.

I mean, how many insulation installation companies were there before 2009?
And how many are there now?

How many school construction companies are there?
And how many before 2009?

Maybe it’s just me.

The back flip on the ETS was his own political dagger.

And the mining tax would probably have worked if he hadn’t called it a tax.

But I don’t feel that sorry for him.

He got in through some back room jiggery pokery – getting rid of Big Kim (when Big Kim could probably won the election also).

And he got ousted by some back room jiggery pokery.

What goes around, comes around.

It is for politics as it is for business as it is for life.

Isn’t that right, Julia?

Guy Kawasaki told me that. Not personally. I saw it on a video presentation.

If you are doing something that has meaning to you, there’s a fair chance it will have meaning for someone else.

And that’s where the money comes from.

The best result? If the thing you’re doing not only has a meaning, but addresses a yearning.
You see, people will give up all sorts of things to feed a yearning.
The life they have. The wife they thought they wanted. Jobs. Sleep. Self-respect.

To yearn is to know desire.

If it answers a yearning inside yourself , you may go unfed but you’ll never go unhappy.

If it addresses a yearning inside your customers, you won’t go unfed.

Discovering what your customers yearn for – and then figuring a way to give it to them – that’s a business model right there.

But, it’s often not what they say they want.
Rather, it’s what they lie awake at night dreaming about. Find a way to find that out.
(Just be sure to ask their permission before slipping under the doona with a notepad and a microphone.)

Because, if you can answer a yearning – or, better yet, create one – they’ll gladly give up what they have to get what you’ve got.

It’s all about The Yearning.

Before looking at your business and asking about The Earn – ask about The Yearn.

You’ll be glad you did.

A great experience is one where there’s always a connection.
Cheeky banter between the band and the audience.
You make them smile. Make them cry. Get them all to sing along.
The players get it all together. And. It. Rocks.

There’s always that moment – if you’re like me and tend to leave before the band finishes playing – when you’re walking away from the pub.
And the only sound you can hear is the bass beat.
The beat you couldn’t hear while you were actually in the pub.
You just kind of felt it – while the rest of the magic was happening.

If the music was great, it’s sometimes enough to make you want to turn around and do it all again.

If the music wasn’t, it’s a sad reminder of a lost opportunity.

Your business is like that band.

When the customer leaves the immediate experience, what’s the feeling they carry with them?
What’s the Boom Boom Boom that reminds them of the experience.

It’s what remains when they can’t hear the words any more.
When they’re not there to see the visual delights – a manic frontman and two glistening back-up singers.
It’s not the free beer, or the two for one offer if anyone can name the band’s drummer.

It’s the “Oh, I really want to turn around and do that all again” feeling.

As any good rhythm section can tell you, it’s the thing that drives the music. The beat that sets the rhythm.

The bit that connects with the guts of your audience.

Does your business have one?

And do you have a good enough rhythm section to make the most of it?