The Dan Kennedy lesson that gives me goose flesh even as I write this

One of the best business books I ever read is: “The Dan Kennedy Diamond Faxes” Dan sent it to me as a thank you gift after I made a donation to one of his favorite charities (I do not know where to buy it — but I think Email Players subscriber Russell Brunson publishes it). And it’s 10 years of private fax correspondence to his inner circle customers. My copy is heavily marked up on nearly every page. And while there are many lessons inside, one that stands out in my mind: The farmer who milks the cows every day no matter what. Feeling sick? Too bad. Cows gotta be milked. Tornado rushing down upon the farm? Oh well. Cows gotta be milked. Wife died? That sucks — but those cows ain’t gonna milk themselves… And so the point went. It’s an attitude that a lot of marketers fail to grasp much less implement. I don't pretend to be the best email writer on the planet, but I daresay I am one of the most consistent and persistent. For over a decade I’ve not missed a single day of sending an email to my list, and often multiple emails. And I don’t intend to miss any days either. Because to me sending emails is like the farmer milking the cows. It’s gotta be done. And it doesn’t matter if I want to, if I’m “inspired” to, or if I “feel” like doing it. Too bad. And that one habit has done more for my business and — by extension — for my customers’ & (when I had them) clients’ businesses than any other single thing I can think of. So much comes out of that simple act that goes beyond just making more sales. The idea generation, opportunities that come up from people responding, self-discipline, and rapid advancement past those you compete against can’t be measured on a spreadsheet. Another lesson from the book: (Also totally paraphrased, but you’ll get the gist) Dan was talking about a seminar he was speaking at. And one of the other speakers was one of the guys from the Penn & Teller show. And the guy came in at night, coming off a miserable travel schedule, sick, hungry, probably a dozen other things that he prefer not to be dealing with… yet still had a great attitude. So much so Dan asked him about it. And the answer clearly had a big enough impact to be turned into a lesson. I can say this too: What he told Dan haunted me when I read it, and still does now. I am, in fact, looking at my arms as I type this email. And there is literal goose flesh raised on my arm. I’m not saying this will have the same impact on you or anyone else. But to me, at that time, it was exactly what I needed to hear. And, in fact, what he told Dan Kennedy completely & forever changed my attitude about a great many things in my life — both professional & personal. For example: A little over a year ago during Spring of 2022 is when I read it I was extremely frustrated with my dog Zoe since she was losing her ability to hold her poop in. Not her fault obviously. But that made it no less frustrating. I couldn’t keep up with it, couldn’t predict it (although I did eventually start using a log to track her times, which helped, until the last 4 months when it just became completely random no matter when I fed her), and had a hard time not getting frustrated with her — both silently and vocally. But what Dan wrote completely and radically changed my attitude. And, also, the amount of joy I got from Zoe during her final 7 or 8 months. I won’t say I enjoyed chasing & cleaning up Zoe’s poop. But the words certainly blunted it. Even made me embrace having to do it in some ways. Even later, when Zoe lost her sight, and would poop at night and walk around in it, and I’d have to mop and sterilize the entire den each morning, it blunted the frustration. If anything, it made me love Zoe all the more for it. More: The words Dan said go much further than that. They also gave me tremendous perspective on everything from seeing my parents more (certainly talking to them more) to getting off my ass and finally writing my ninth Enoch Wars novel (and I have much more fiction to write…) which I wrote shortly before Zoe died, except for the very last chapter, which I had to wait to write until after she passed for reasons that may or may not be obvious to those who read it. The words gave me a perspective on life I never would’ve had otherwise. It made me a better person in a lot of ways, too. And it put me more in touch with my faith and my mortality, as well as the mortality of everyone I know. And that ain’t no exaggeration. Whatever the case: I don’t know if these words will be as profound for you. Or have the same impact. I doubt they’d give anyone else goose flesh like they do me. But I do remember talking about it on a coaching call around that time, and it was a big hit on there, too. I got several people emailing me privately telling me how those words helped put some of their own problems into perspective. And when I wrote these words in the upcoming June Email Players issue, I am pretty sure Stefania wept when she saw the first draft while reading that part of the newsletter. Words can be very powerful. Again, I am not sure anyone else reading the June issue will react the same way. Most probably won’t at all. Probably it will depend on what they got going on in their lives. And it is not so much a business lesson as a practical life lesson. Just like the milking the cows lesson. If you want the full story on what these words were, and, more importantly (the words are not all that big a deal, kinda obvious in fact) the context of the words, and how they can help you through hardships, frustrations, whatever it is… then see pages 15-16 inside the June Email Players issue. It’s just one of the many lessons inside that I am calling: “The Last Zoe Tape” The Zoe Tapes were 60 videos I shot walking her on the beach as I taught various business, copywriting, marketing, email, & other lessons that were heavily principle-and-strategy based with some tactical info thrown in. I originally posted them in my old elBenbo’s Lair Facebook group. Then I put them in my mobile app and sold them there. (They’ll be for sale again when the Email Players mobile app is up some day). And over the years quite a few people have bought or heard about those videos. And many of those people have flat out told me those videos are some of the most valuable trainings I’ve ever done. But the June issue is the last, and most valuable, of these lessons. And it contains what I believe are some of the most powerful, and long-term successful strategies I can possible teach at this time. In my (totally biased, but no less true) opinion: Those who possess & read the June issue will have many advantages. Certainly the info has given my business many advantages over the years. And in many ways, the timing could not be better. Especially with the crap storm happening with the economy. The deadline to subscribe in time for this issue is almost upon you. Here’s the link: [https∶//www.EmailPlayers.com]( Ben Settle P.S. Now that I think about it, I am not entirely sure the miking the cow story and the story about what he was told at the seminar are in the Dan Kennedy Faxes book or his Dan Kennedy People book. I’ve been devouring a lot of Dan Kennedy content the last few years, and it all blends. But the point holds… This email was sent by Ben Settle as owner of Settle, LLC. Copyright © 2023 Settle, LLC. All Rights Reserved. No part of this email may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from Settle, LLC. 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