Wasting Your Life Trying to Make a Living

So we hear a lot of blah, blah about doing what you love and following your passion. Great you say, but Ive got bills to pay and kids to feed.  Well, we can go around whining about our job/having no job, sucky boss/having no boss and as the song goes, ‘wishin’ and hopin’, plannin’ and dreamin’ but none of this will do any good unless we decide to take action. My favorite saying is…

Don’t try harder, try different.

So how do I figure out what different is or looks like?  TAKE ONE STEP.

People – Look objectively at the people you spend time with. Are they positive, energetic people? Are they interested in living? Do you feel energized after being with them or drained.? Be with people who are upbeat and honest. It’s a choice to surround ourselves with people who are engaged.

Actions – Review how you spent your time in the past week. How much of what you did fell into these 3 categories:

1. You were learning something
2. You were having fun
3. You felt appreciated (or loved if it’s your family)

If you’re not getting two out three of these then ask yourself…What am I going to do? What’s stopping you?  Also, on the flip side of this,  do you consciously teach, make things fun and show appreciation everyday?

Just for today, if you are hungry, angry, lonely or tired- take care of those needs first. Then take a few minutes to think about either the people in your life or the actions that you are taking.  If you’re not sure what to do, talk it over with someone you trust who understands. You deserve it.

This post was inspired by Julien Smith’s post, Your Happiness is Not Your Own, “Perdre sa vie à la gagner.” Je veux dire, jamais!

What Makes a Good Entrepreneur?

I personally have started 2 businesses and am currently helping another one get cooking right now. While it’s an almost overwhelming amount of work, I enjoy it the challenge of creating something from nothing.

As a SCORE volunteer (part of the Small Business Administration), I meet  a lot of wonderful people who have great ideas. Each of them is taking a step towards starting their own business. They are asking for help (by the way it’s free and available to everyone) and researching their idea. I tell them that even if this particular business doesn’t get off the ground, another one just might so keep learning, growing and exploring.

When people find out that I have started businesses or volunteer at SCORE, they inevitably talk about how much fun it must be. They don’t really think about how hard it is to start the business, find the customers, run the business and do the work. While it may sound a bit overwhelming, 20,000 new businesses start every year. I believe that if the United States is going to remain economically strong, we need more and more entrepreneurs to step up.

When I was looking for an image to include with this post, I realized that no photograph of a person or people would work. Entrepreneurs come in every size, shape, age, race, gender, religion and nationality.  This is an important challenge and even if you are not inclined to start a business, I ask that you to visit, support, encourage and cheer lead for local entrepreneurs. When picking a restaurant, pick a local restaurant instead of a chain. Eat local food, buy local goods and we’ll all reap the benefits. I’d love to hear from other entrepreneurs. We need to stick together!

Walking on a Tightrope

I recently started reading a new blog by Joshua Blankenship. The post that turned me on Whose You Do You Want To Be?

If you have talent, there will always be someone telling you how to use it. Talent is in short supply, and smart people always have a vision for how you should use yours.

It’s a struggle to balance the need for earning a living and finding a satisfying way to use your talents. There are no courses in school for understanding your gifts and then figuring out how to best use them. Mostly, we tell kids to follow a career path and it’s hard to argue with that. But that doesn’t necessarily help them figure out how to be happy.

The tightrope is the journey to create the life you want. Please don’t be afraid of what other people will say. If they have time to talk about you, they’re not focusing on their own tightrope/happiness. They are likely too afraid to get up on the wire! How about thinking about your fulfillment goals instead your career goals.

When I was young, someone said to me, “be bold and great forces will come to your aid.” I never forgot that.

You don’t have to do something outrageous or outlandish to be true to yourself. But you probably have to bear the weight of people telling you that you’re wrong. Be strong, look for allies and be yourself. There’s no one like you in the whole world.

Inspiring and very entertaining video (also found in Joshua’s blog). Thanks Josh!

Just For Today

Not exactly a 'mental loafer'...

There’s a poem I think about often titled Just for Today. There are some terrific ideas here to combat the grind of daily living whether we are looking for a work or going to a job every day.

Just for today I will be happy. This assumes what Abraham Lincoln said: ‘Most folks are about as happy as they make their mind up to be.’

Old Abe really knew his stuff. It’s easy to be negative and focus on what’s not going right. Just for today, try to look for what’s good in your family, friends and colleagues. That’s usually pretty easy. But what about the people we don’t like so much; politicians for instance. I wonder how many of us would have agreed with Mr. Lincoln during his years in the white house. It’s not easy but make a decision to look for what’s good. Ask yourself, how can I make a difference in someone’s life right here, right now?

Just for today I will take care of my body. I will exercise it, care for it, nourish it, not abuse or neglect it.

Hmmm… how are we doing in this area? I need to work on getting more exercise. Take time for yourself. This is NOT about weight. It’s about caring for yourself. Try doing something different, just one thing. You can do it.

Just for today I will try to strengthen my mind. I will learn something useful. I will not be a mental loafer. I will read something that requires effort, thought, and concentration.

I love the image of a mental loafer. (A shoe with a  face!) Anyway, it’s easy to get complacent, to think, “I do all this stuff already; I’m already trying so hard.” So don’t try harder, try different.

How to Stand Out in Roomful of Ordinaries

I am always looking for inspiration and thankfully, I never have to look far to find it. Today, I came across this video. The guy’s name is Chris Bliss. He’s a juggler.

“Yawn,” you say, “a juggler. Does he jump on a trampoline and juggle chain saws? If not, I’ve probably already seen it.”

Chris is a simple juggler. He juggles 3 small balls. He’s wearing street clothes. There are no pretty girls, no backdrops, no fire, no chain saws. Just Chris, a beautiful song and his take on that song.

I’m not even sure what makes this video and Chris so compelling. I know I was inspired by it and the audience watching him gives him a standing ovation.

My take away is this. Chris brings his own ‘voice’ to his craft. Do you think Chris is being true to himself? Do you think he is letting his passion show?

I work to find my voice by doing the things I love, by connecting with passionate people and by believing in myself. Some of the happiest people I know are those who love what they do for a living.

Maybe losing that last job was a blessing in disguise. I’ll bet that Chris spent a lot of hours juggling and wondering if he was doing the right thing before he performed in that hall, to that song for those people.

Please tell me how you’re finding your voice, your passion… and what you think of Chris Bliss.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8f8drk5Urw

And now for something completely different – Companies are hiring!

Looking for good news in a sea of glop, please read this yahoo article on companies that are hiring. Yikes, hiring? http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/hj100-articles-hotjobs100-1.  Even you do not want to relocate, you might see something or get an idea of a local company that could provide services to one of these national companies.

Rule #1 – go where the jobs are. That doesn’t necessarily mean move from where you live, but keep an open mind. You never know who’ll meet.

Rule #2 – Look at jobs not just for the position but also for companies that might interest you. Research them, get to know them.

Rule #3 – Listen to the words of wisdom from the yahoo article referenced above.

HotJobs 100: Updated for 2009 -Find great jobs from our top 100 companies, hiring now…

1. Don’t rely on one resume and cover letter. The longer the job search, the more custom resumes and cover letters you will need. Your resume and cover letter should match your skill-set to that particular job’s qualification requirements.

2. Don’t limit your possibilities. Unless it’s drastically lower than your job expectations, a lesser title, pay or benefits may at least get you in the door .Once you’ve landed a job, you will have a chance to prove yourself. If at all possible, also be flexible in where you can work.

3. Don’t get discouraged. Discouragement is only in your mind. The reality is every day you look for work is a new day. What happened the day or week or month before is history. Shake off disappointments with a quick ‘pity party’ and then let it go.

4. Don’t stop looking until you actually have the job. Because stuff happens, keep your job search going until you have a contract or start date. Too often, candidates stop looking once they have an interview!

I could tell stories about #4 but you probably have already heard them. Your job is to find work, don’t stop until you start working at another job. Here’s another link with even more hiring!
The Spreadsheet of Sunshine: Who’s hiring http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10073394-2.html

Enjoying Your Life – Free or Inexpensive FUN things to do

If you have children of any age, there are so many things to do with them. You know what they are; you just have to find time to enjoy them instead of stressing about how to support them. Today, you are a role model; they are watching how you handle stress and change. When was the last time you colored with your kids? My dad used to draw a curlicue on piece of paper and then we had to draw and invent something from it. You might be surprised at how much fun it is. This isn’t an art lesson. No criticizing. Accept and praise whatever they make. You have to draw too. If you can’t draw well, (the drawing gene was given to my sister – she makes beautiful paintings) make it silly. The worse it is, the more your kids will love it.

Give to Get… Why Networking Works

Even if you just started your job search, you can start doing something immediately to improve your odds of finding a new (and usually better) job. Help other people who are looking for work. You can find your peers at local networking groups. Here in Rochester we have the August Group and many more. How do I begin to help others? First of all you can listen. Listen more than you talk. There is a lot to be gained by having peer support. Next, be open to what the person is saying. Next, share something about yourself and exchange business cards. You never know who this person knows that will be helpful to you.

The “enlightened self-interest” result will be that you may get help learning about “hidden jobs”. These are jobs that never get posted because organizations need people who can fit in, get along, and contribute in many ways (not just doing the job) and that’s hard to advertise for. Also, they it’s less expensive to interview someone that employee or friend/contact knows. They network with employees, friends, professional contacts, etc. to see if someone knows someone who might be right for the job. The plain fact is many (likely most) professionals will find their next position through networking. Finding a new job is a numbers game. The more people you meet, the more likely you are to uncover this kind of opportunity.

But I hate talking to people…
Yeah, most of us do. Surprised? Even a very outgoing person can be uncomfortable talking to strangers about …the dreaded; do you know of any jobs? We’re almost all in this boat. Successful job hunters ease through this process by thinking about being helpful. Which contacts leave the best impression on you? Someone who talks or someone who listens.

How do you help a brand new contract? The more you listen and the more contacts you make, the more valuable you become. Ask them about the charities they support, their hobbies. Ask them how you might be able to help them now or in the future. If they are employed, they may be looking to fill a position. If so, now you have a job you can talk to others about. The process is a numbers game. Set small goals if it’s a struggle. Meeting with 5-10 contacts a week. Sound like a lot?

By the way, what fun did you have today? We’re going to talk more about that in the coming weeks. Have fun today. You can do it. The hallway changes everything. Enjoy it.