career

Attitude, Focus and Sweat

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Photo by Rob Mulally

An important skill taught in Driver’s Education courses is to keep one’s eyes where one wants to go (the safe place) and not on obstacles that one wants to avoid. For example, if your car starts to skid out of control, don’t focus on the tree you’re afraid of crashing into, but on the open road. If you focus on the tree, that’s where you’ll end up.

In life, that tree can be a metaphor for the last decades of our lives. We tend to focus on fears such as, “What if I don’t have enough money to retire?”

We live in a youth-centered society. We don’t take care of our elderly very well. So it’s no wonder so many of us fear growing old (despite the fact that it’s inevitable if we don’t die first).

When we choose to stop focusing on aging (and limitations), and start focusing on The Possibilities, fascinating things can happen:

Annie Proulx, this year’s winner of the National Book Award, and author of Brokeback Mountain and The Shipping News, did not start seriously writing until she was 58. (Bigthink)

In the middle of his prolific career as inventor and businessman, Thomas Edison’s plant was burned down by a fire – all of his work was gone. What was his reaction?

“Although I am over 67 years old, I’ll start all over again tomorrow.”

And he did, the very next day. He didn’t even let any of his employees go. Edison and his team made $10 million the very next year. (BusinessInsider)

What are you going to focus on?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CITATIONS

http://bigthink.com/21st-century-spirituality/how-the-mind-body-connection-determines-how-you-age

http://www.businessinsider.com/thomas-edison-in-the-obstacle-is-the-way-2014-5

Where Does the Ladder Lead?

“Success” in the career realm often means “climbing up the ladder” or obtaining a promotion. If you are interested in this, Eric Barker has data-driven advice:

Network. There are wrong ways and “right ways” to do this. The right way is to offer help to those around you at work – and not just to the well-liked people. If you can forge a strong working relationships with everyone, you’ll be more likely to hear about opportunities and therefore, be able to apply for them faster than others.

And, stating the obvious: If you are helpful to others before you need their help (advice, introductions to others, etc.)  then you won’t be sleazy. In fact, people will want to help you.

If you aren’t interested in climbing the ladder or playing this game, but you’re kind to everyone regardless of your job, you’ve already reached success.

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Something New

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If you want something different, do something different.

Now.

Don’t wait.

No excuses.

Take baby steps if you need to, but do it.

By the way, you’ll have to make a sacrifice or two.  You’ll probably be a little uncomfortable. This is why most people don’t reach their goals: They don’t want discomfort and they don’t want to give anything up.

Will you stand out?

 

High 5

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If you’re working to make a career change or focus your blog posts to a more precise nature, you might want to check out a FREE strengths test: http://high5test.com/

It’s comprised of about 170 questions. You’ll need a quiet, uninterrupted space and time of 15 minutes or so.

My High 5 Test results were:

  1. believer (I possess enduring core beliefs which direct my actions);
  2. empathizer;
  3. developer (cultivate potential in others);
  4. learner; and
  5. brainstormer

This is well-aligned to my career as teacher and writer. Check out the free assessment now.

 

(*Of course, you can pay extra for more information.)

Are You Chicken Little or the Road Runner?

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Luis Llerena

When I worked at a startup company years ago and things got stressful, my supervisor would wail, “We’re just set up to fail!” She cried real tears once, when it looked like we were going to miss delivering our McDonald’s Kids’ Meal prize on time.

The deadlines were tight and stringent. “We’re set up to fail!”

There was a bug in the system. “We’re set up to fail!”

The art department misunderstood the engineering department. “We’re set up to fail!”

In actuality, she meant, “I’m afraid we’re going to fail!”

In the end, the entire startup did fail. But our department never did, we simply met our goals with a lot of stress. The constant cry of the “sky is falling” unnerved the team. Projects that could have been accomplished with fun and enjoyment were, instead, completed in solemn urgency.

Isn’t this what many people do at work and life? Aren’t a lot of people motivated by fear? Fear of failure, fear of losing money, fear of losing face.

People can be motivated by fun and awe and still get it done.

 

 

 

The Light in Your Eyes

Our guide informs us about American history and politics, sprinkling jokes and anecdotes as the bus rolls from one museum to another.

He’s always smiling with a light in his eyes.

On Day One, he asked me how to pronounce my name. Ever since then, he has called me by name (voice booming with cheer) when he addresses me. 

He loves his job, you might surmise.

He loves his life.

Undoubtedly,  you’ve met someone like him. Always smiling,  never complaining. Joyful. 
It’s an attitude that pervades his life and affects every person he meets. The common cold… the flu and attitudes are all contagious.  

What are you spreading?


If You Build It, They Will Come

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Our daughter played in a symphonic concert tonight. She’s almost 14 and is very active in several orchestras at the moment. The symphonic group she played in tonight celebrated their 50th anniversary this year.  This group is a district group, including all the kids in the city who audition and make it. The kids then come to three different rehearsals of 2 hours each. They perform in the local Ikeda Theater for parents and friends. Admission is free.

Wayne Roederer started this program 50 years ago. He has conducted and started many programs and just retired two years ago. He conducted one of the groups and spoke to the parents, his voice breaking with emotion. “It was a joyous experience for me,” he said, “to work with your children. It was well worth missing Judge Judy for several days.”  We all laughed.

The kids played with pride. They moved to the music.

Afterwards, we spoke with him. We congratulated him and told him how we appreciate his work. He said that he has worked with children who grew up to be adults who started orchestra programs of their own and now those kids have grown and are starting programs…

What might appear to be his legacy at first glance: the kids he worked with directly…is much more than that. This man has literally influenced thousands of people.

One man. An idea. And many helpful hands, parent volunteers and eager students. That’s all it took.

You are one person. You have an idea. Start building it…people will help you.