Pole Reindeer

Pole Reindeer

Life Lessons From Rudolph: Six Ways Lovable Misfits Can Leverage Their Own “red Nose” for a More Fulfilling 2009

By Robin Fisher Roffer

We all know the story. We’ve watched the classic movie over and over and had the cheery song stuck in our heads for days. (You’re hearing it now, aren’t you?) We’ve cheered on the plucky red-nosed reindeer and his companion Hermey, the determined elf with dental school dreams. Even as adults, we’ve delighted in the snowy North Pole scenes, shuddered at the Abominable Snowman, and rejoiced at our unlikely hero’s happy ending. But few of us have really pondered the meaning behind this little fable: that a fulfilling life means being yourself—(symbolic) glowing red nose and all.

There’s never been a better time to march to the beat of that proverbial “different drummer” who makes you you. And if you take a lesson from the most famous reindeer of all, you can make 2009 the year you turn your unique qualities to your advantage.

While Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer was made in 1964, its theme—that embracing your uniqueness pays off—is even truer today. In a global world where businesses (and employees) face a literal world of competition, where people meet their spouses via Internet dating services, and where everyone from hot celebrities to your Uncle Fred have MySpace accounts, fearlessly being yourself is the only way to distinguish yourself from the teeming masses.

Here’s how Rudolph and his pals channeled their own “fearless fish” to save the day on that foggy Christmas Eve—and how you, allegorically at least, can do the same in 2009.

Let your nose shine bright. Once it became apparent that Rudolph wasn’t like the rest of his peers, his well-meaning father devised a way to help him “fit in.” The mud-covered nose didn’t last for long, and when his true self shone through, the other reindeer immediately excluded him from the reindeer games. On the other hand, the pretty little doe Clarice told him his red nose was “much better than that false one you were wearing.” The point? Playing an “acceptable” role never works—at least not for long.

When you aren’t authentic, it shows. Instead of fitting in, you come across as dishonest and untrustworthy. Don’t downplay your ethnic background, or try to hide the fact that you’re gay, or maybe a country music fan in an office full of hip-hop listeners. Give the world a fearless representation of who you are and let the chips fall where they may. Chances are they’ll fall in your favor.

Don’t just longingly read your dentist book. Grab your (metaphorical) drill and get to work. Hermey is an elf. At the North Pole. Of course he should make toys, right? Wrong! Hermey wanted to be a dentist instead, and in the end, he found the initiative to pursue his dream. Taking the first step toward big life changes, especially those that go against the grain can seem overwhelming. But as fearless fish we see the need for those changes and we take a flying leap instead.

We all have dreams that we have been too scared to fulfill in our lives. Perhaps it’s a new career path, or finally going back to school. Or maybe you are living in a city that just doesn’t work for you. Make this the year that you finally change those things. You will be amazed at how many other things begin to fall into place in your life once you allow yourself to pursue the things that really make you happy.

Seek out your own Hermey and make friends. On the surface it may seem like a red-nosed reindeer and an elf who wants to be a dentist may not have all that much in common. However, it was Rudolph’s misfit mantra and Hermey’s outcast status that bound them together and helped them become an unstoppable force. Likewise if you’re a “fish out of water,” you should align yourself with others who are different or special in their own ways.

It’s important to find others that you can count on as allies and friends in your quest for success. No, you don’t need to hold out for a coworker pal who is also an immigrant from China—that’s probably unrealistic. But you might join forces with, say, another maverick who is trying to lead the charge for dynamic change within the company.

Find a boss like Santa. No one is suggesting that you find a job in a toy shop, or seek out a jolly leader in a red suit. Rather, seek out leaders or influential colleagues with the insight to recognize what you bring to the table. Santa used Rudolph’s difference to make him a great leader for his team. This is the type of person to look for in your organization who can help take you to the top.

Look for individuals who are creative and open-minded and put yourself in their path. These are the people who will champion your ideas and talents when the time is right. Rudolph was given the chance to save Christmas because he had a leader who could appreciate his unique talent. If you have been laid off, use this opportunity to make your next job one with the right kind of leadership. Your moment could be right around the corner—it just takes having the right people to help get you there.

Help the misfit toys in your own life. Rudolph and Hermey use their alliance with one another to overcome the odds and achieve their own happy endings. It would be easy to assume that the story stops there, right? Not for fearless fish. Just like Rudolph uses his influence with Santa to help the misfit toys find happy homes, you must advocate for others who need a helping hand.

Once you have begun to find your own way, use the leverage you have achieved to help others on their journey. After all, you were one of them at some point and it’s important to maintain the mentoring cycle. It’s not just a nice thing to do for someone else; it’s a catalyst for continued growth and positive energy for yourself, too.

Make sure you’ll go down in history. It may seem obvious, but the things that make you unique are of any good to you only if you use them. It’s easy to see the things that make you different as what keeps you outside the group at large. In reality, they are your own secret weapons. If Rudolph hadn’t used his nose to guide the sleigh through the fog, he would still just be an outsider to the reindeer community. Instead, he winds up the hero.

Being a fearless fish out of water means believing that you are not just taking up space but that your contributions are valuable. Cultivating this kind of confidence from deep inside of you will spur you forward more than anything else in life. So don’t apologize for who you are and what makes you different. Be bold, be creative, and put yourself out there. People who are different are often the ones who can make the biggest difference.

Of course, “be yourself” hardly seems like the kind of cutting-edge advice to build a life-changing New Year’s Resolution around. After all, everyone’s mother has said it a hundred times. But if you’re honest, you’ll admit that those two tiny words are tough to put into action. And that’s precisely why they’re so powerful.

So many people are terrified to be themselves. So when you decide to cut that inner rebel loose, well, people notice. They pay attention. And if you’ve always been the “hide your light under a bushel” type, attracting attention may be the best thing that ever happened to you. Be who you are, and just like our favorite holiday hero, you will be happy too. And that’s the only ending to your story that matters.

# # #

About the Author:

Robin Fisher Roffer (Los Angeles and New York) is CEO of Big Fish Marketing, one of the entertainment industry’s preeminent brand marketing and digital advertising agencies. She has provided the rocket fuel that has ignited the launch pad of dozens of brands all over the world, developing brand-building marketing plans and promotional campaigns for top media companies like Sony, Time-Warner, and Twentieth Century Fox.

Roffer has written strategic plans and executed marketing tactics for a prestigious client list that includes ABC, A&E, AMC, Bloomberg, Bravo, CNN, Comedy Central, Discovery Channel, Disney Channel, History, Lifetime, MTV, Oxygen, and Turner Networks. Today, her client roster includes over 25 television networks, a global cosmetics company, and several insurance and investment firms.

A dynamic and engaging speaker, Roffer has given keynote presentations to some of the nation’s biggest companies and organizations, including AOL, Mattel, Verizon, Wharton School of Business, and many more. In addition to her work with Big Fish Marketing, she serves as a strategic branding consultant for a variety of corporations.

Drawing on her experience in creating some of the world’s leading entertainment

brands, Roffer penned her first book, MAKE A NAME FOR YOURSELF: Eight

Steps Every Woman Needs to Create a Personal Brand Strategy for Success.

Her latest book, THE FEARLESS FISH OUT OF WATER: How to Succeed

When You’re the Only One Like You, will be in stores in February 2009. It shows professionals how to stay connected and relevant at work while maintaining a unique identity, how to fit in without blending in, and how to transform exclusion into high impact.

Roffer’s core belief is that entertainment should be leveraged for a greater good. She has received accolades for developing community outreach programs like Lifetime’s “Women Rock,” a concert event designed to raise awareness for breast cancer issues; CNN’s “Your Choice Your Voice” high school-based election promotion; FSN’s “Reading All-Stars” literacy campaign; The History Channel’s “Save Our History” initiative, which raised money and awareness for the World War II Memorial; and Comedy Central’s “Comedy RX,” a hospital-based program promoting the healing powers of laughter.

About the Book:

The Fearless Fish Out of Water: How to Succeed When You’re the Only One Like You (Wiley, 2009, ISBN: 978-0-470-31668-9, $24.95) will be available at bookstores nationwide, major online booksellers, or direct from the publisher by calling 800-225-5945. In Canada, call 800-567-4797.

For more information, please visit www.bigfishmarketing.com.

About the Author

Robin Fisher Roffer is author of The Fearless Fish Out of Water: How to Succeed When You’re the Only One Like You (Wiley, 2009, ISBN: 978-0-470-31668-9, $24.95).

Waterford North Pole Reindeer Ornament $55 "The perfect addition to your holiday d?cor, the Waterford North Pole Reindeer Ornament brings a stunning beauty to any Christmas tree. This beautiful reindeer ornament is crafted of mouth-blown, hand-painted glass. The Waterford North Pole Reindeer Ornament measures 5.5 Inches in height. "

Reindeer $10 Reindeer

Reindeer Olympics $15.54 Another Christmas is coming, and so is another opportunity for the reindeer of the North Pole to prove to Santa that they have what it takes to pull the sleigh. Have you ever wondered how Santa chooses his sleigh team? Fly away to the world of the Reindeer Olympics and find out

Santa's Reindeer $3.95 Shh Have you ever heard a reindeer's sleigh bells in the sky on Christmas Eve? Have you ever heard a reindeer's hoofbeat on the roof of your house? Or listened to the clatter of antlers outside in the darkness? Of course you haven't Santa's reindeer are so skillful that they can fly in and out of your neighborhood without anyone hearing a thing. But how do they learn to fly in the first place? What are the reindeer really like? What do the reindeer do for the rest of the year when they're not flying Santa around the world? Find out all about how Santa and his Sleigh Master train the Sleigh Team at the North Pole. Discover just what reindeer games the team likes to play and what they love to eat. Learn everything you ever wanted to know in this beautifully illustrated look at the North Pole's most magical inhabitants. Then watch out on Christmas Eve. Once you know all about Santa's reindeer, you just might be able to spot them stopping somewhere near "your" house

Save the Reindeer! $3.95 Oh, no One of Santa's reindeer is stuck in the ice The Wonder Pets must travel to the North Pole to save her so Santa can deliver all of his presents. Will they get there in time? Join Linny, Ming-Ming, and Tuck on this special Christmas Eve rescue mission

The Reindeer Chronicles $11.99 "The Great Candy Cane Caper is one in a series of stories that chronicles the history of reindeer at the Christmas Village at the North Pole. In The Great Candy Cane Caper, two innocent young reindeer, PJ and Zipper, fall into the clutches of a twisted elf, Baddey Twoshoes, who has a sinister plot to destroy Christmas for the entire world. Outsiders are given a rare glimpse into how things really work in the Christmas village, including the unusual effect candy cane has on reindeer. The antics of the village reindeer and elves will delight the reader and leave everyone wondering if there is any way to unravel the sinister plot of Dr. Twoshoes and save Christmas. Joe C. Watson was born in Wilson, NC, and now resides in Chesapeake, VA, with his wife of 36 years, Janice and their two daughters, Kelly and Melissa. He is a retired educator with a bachelor of science degree in history from Campbell College (now Campbell University) and a master's and advanced studies degree in educational administration from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA. Coming soon: The Reindeer Chronicles: The Legend of Twoshoes -Discover how Twoshoes became the person that he is. Who was he in the beginning? What role did he play in bringing about all of the wonderful things that happened once upon a time in the Christmas Village? Did he really teach reindeer how to fly? These questions and many others are answered in The Legend of Twoshoes."

Olive, the Other Reindeer. $3.95 Olive is merrily preparing for Christmas when suddenly she realizes 'Olive... the other Reindeer... I thought I was a dog. Hmmm, I must be a Reindeer ' So she quickly hops aboard the polar express and heads to the North Pole. And while Santa and the other reindeer are a bit surprised that a dog wants to join the their team, in the end Olive and her unusual reindeer skills are just what Santa and his veteran reindeer team need. Colorful graphic illustrations accompany this zany dog story from the well-known author and artist team, Vivian and J.otto Seibold. Adorable Olive and her hilarious adventures are sure to make anyone's Christmas merry.

Olive, the Other Reindeer (Hardcover) $21.3 After mishearing the words to "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", a dog named Olive comes to believe that she`s a reindeer. Knowing that reindeer work for Santa Claus, Olive heads for the North Pole, where she surprises Santa and his real reindeer by saying she wants to join their team. Color illustrations accompany the text.

Olive the Other Reindeer $37.01 After mishearing the words to "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", a dog named Olive comes to believe that she`s a reindeer. Knowing that reindeer work for Santa Claus, Olive heads for the North Pole, where she surprises Santa and his real reindeer by saying she wants to join their team. In this special deluxe edition, pop-ups, lift-the-flaps, and scratch & sniffs are scattered through out the fun, colorful illustrations.

A Reindeer $39.99 A Reindeer - Giclee Print

The Great Reindeer Rebellion $3.95 A new holiday classic is born Lisa Trumbauer and Jannie Ho have whipped up a fresh, fabulous, and very funny companion to "The Haunted Ghoul Bus." In a playful take on "The Night before Christmas," the talented pair provides kids with a one-of-kind, behind-the-scenes peek into Santa's workshop. And it seems that all's not well at the North Pole: the reindeer have gone on strike and Santa's auditioning a menagerie of other animals to take their place. But when the cats abandon station to chase some mice and the elephants fall through the roof, what's Santa to do? Will his eight trusty reindeer ever fly again?

Olive, The Other Reindeer $9.76 Rated: NRSynopsis: Synopsis: In this delightfully funny animated adventure, "Olive, the Other Reindeer" is erally a kind-hearted dog who sets out to save Christmas when she hears that Blitzen is injured and Santa can't find a replacement! With the help of a smooth-talking penguin named Martini, Olive heads for the North Pole to join the flying reindeer team - but along the way, they must defeat an evil mailman who wants to end Christmas so he can carry less mail! With an all-star voice cast featuring Drew Barrymore, Ed Asner, Dan Castellaneta and Peter MacNicol, "Olive, the Other Reindeer" is sure to become a holiday tradition for young and old!Bonus Features: Specifications: Box Office:

Little Polar Bear And The Reindeer $7.99 In this new adventure featuring Lars, the Little Polar Bear, the short North Pole summer is ending. Lars watches sadly as the geese head south again. Soon after, the reindeer, too, start their winter migration. But this year, man has interfered with their journey. A high fence that goes on for miles has been erected right in their path, and piles of giant pipes litter the landscape. The herd is trapped. If they can't get through, they will perish. Once again, it's Lars to the rescue. Using his brains and the muskoxen's brawn, they are able to break through the barricade and the reindeer can continue on to their winter grazing grounds. Fans of the Little Polar Bear books will delight in this exciting new story with its subtle reminder of man's impact on nature.

Little Polar Bear and the Reindeer $9.08 In this new adventure featuring Lars, the Little Polar Bear, the short North Pole summer is ending. Lars watches sadly as the geese head south again. Soon after, the reindeer, too, start their winter migration. But this year, man has interfered with their journey. A high fence that goes on for miles has been erected right in their path, and piles of giant pipes litter the landscape. The herd is trapped. If they can't get through, they will perish. Once again, it's Lars to the rescue. Using his brains and the muskoxen's brawn, they are able to break through the barricade and the reindeer can continue on to their winter grazing grounds. Fans of the Little Polar Bear books will delight in this exciting new story with its subtle reminder of man's impact on nature.

Who Is Santa Claus's New Reindeer? $14.62 One day a little fawn was born to Mr. and Mrs. Reindeer. As he grew older he turned out to be a most extraordinary reindeer indeed. Instead of being content to trot along the ground like the other reindeer he knew, he kept trying to leap into the sky. And when he wasn't trying to become airborne, he would gaze longingly up at the stars. The little fellow didn't know why he was so different from everyone else until one Christmas Eve when he suddenly had a vision of Santa Claus streaking across the sky in his reindeer-driven sleigh. All at once he knew. He wanted become one of Santa Claus's reindeer And so he sets off in search of the North Pole and who knows what adventures. For all those who love that familiar figure, Rudolph the Red Nosed-Reindeer, Who Is Santa Claus's New Reindeer? by children's author Michael Hertz will weave its own kind of magic, enchanting young and old alike.

Little Polar Bear and the Reindeer (Paperback) $13.47 In this new adventure featuring Lars, the Little Polar Bear, the short North Pole summer is ending. Lars watches sadly as the geese head south again. Soon after, the reindeer, too, start their winter migration. But this year, man has interfered with their journey. A high fence that goes on for miles has been erected right in their path, and piles of giant pipes litter the landscape. The herd is trapped. If they can`t get through, they will perish. Once again, it`s Lars to the rescue. Using his brains and the muskoxen`s brawn, they are able to break through the barricade and the reindeer can continue on to their winter grazing grounds.

North Pole $1.54 This festive Christmas invitation was designed by one of the world's most sought after event planners, Mindy Weiss. This fun blue and white invitation features the North Pole with snowflakes, holly, Santa and his reindeer and a candy cane border. Bright white enclosure cards are available.

Faith, Hope & Reindeer $15.65 Santa Claus has treated many of the Moore's kindly. He inspired Clement Clark Moore into writing one of the most beloved poems in literary history. And now he has asked Joe Moore to write Santa's memoirs about several families who have visited him, the North Pole and its people.But this book is much more then a novel about Santa Claus. It is about families who have struggled through life and its adversities and are in need of a booster shot of Faith. It is about all of us who struggle in life, but never dare to give up Hope. And of course it is about the North Pole and the goings on in this magical land, including the elves and Reindeer. Follow the story of the Gradys and other families as they take a magical journey that will change their lives forever.This book will not only answer the questions you have about Santa Claus, but it will bring the true magic and meaning of Christmas into your life - regardless of the month or season. Return to a time when you knew it was all real. Believe all over again and visit this magical land to get your own booster shot of Faith, Hope & Reindeer.Come believe, again.

Beach Reindeer $10 Beach Reindeer

Reindeer Rene $10 Reindeer Rene

Glowing Reindeer $10 Glowing Reindeer

Reindeer Sunset $10 Reindeer Sunset

Reindeer and Dove $10 Reindeer and Dove

Shaman Reindeer $10 Shaman Reindeer