March 22, 2010

5 career facts you gotta know: Fact 2


In my last post, I introduced 5 crucial Career Facts and I elaborated on the first item in that list. This post expands on the second of those 5 facts:


Fact No 2: You can do it.


The myth goes… Success requires the right combination of luck, good breaks, and knowing the right people.

The truth is, you will chance upon a lucky break, and you will get to know the right people, once you believe in yourself, once you believe that you deserve it, once you believe you can do it.

It all come down to power—maybe a better term is mastery, or resolve, or kismet. However you choose to label it, it’s defined by a curious, mysterious, hard-to-explain trait that enables you to believe that you control your own destiny.

Now here’s something I find curious.  You and I,  I’m willing to wager, all know someone who exudes mastery, someone who’s going places, someone who has that indefinable power. You and I see it in others, and  the reason we do is, for some perverse reason, it’s easier to see it in them  than it is to recognize it in ourselves.

Have you noticed how easy it is to promote someone else’s business? Have you noticed that it’s easy to talk of someone else’s talent, someone else’s accomplishments, someone else’s mastery and power? And yet when it comes to blowing our own horn, we stumble, we trivialize or we otherwise tone down our inherent abilities. Why is that? Modesty? Shyness? Or is it an inability—an unwillingness—to recognize, really recognize, (and then broadcast) our potential, our power?

Sure, go ahead, recognize and encourage the power you see in others,  but remember that no one’s cornered that market. Remember that you have as much power as anyone else. It’s there, within you, and all you have to do is tap into it. Remember one other fact too; it’s a myth that the universe in conspiring against you. It’s a myth that people are standing in your way. What’s true, though, is the one person standing in your way is you.

Case study: My wife and I attended a concert one night. An iconic guitarist was in town, and he did not disappoint. Driving home, my wife marvelled at the guitarist’s talent. I had to agree, he was a brilliant musician. But I also had to suggest there were, sitting in that audience, watching that show, dozens of equally talented guitarists, countless gifted musicians, artists, thinkers, entrepreneurs and leaders. And the sad fact was that too many of them didn’t see their own mastery, their own power. Or, if they did, they were afraid, unwilling, to reveal it.

Imagine, just imagine, the wonders you will create once you believe that you can do it.

More on this:  You can read more about this topic here.

Tomorrow: Fact 3: It’s not about the money

Yesterday: Fact 1: It’s what you think that’s important

Ideas? Suggestions? Questions? Please leave me a comment.

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March 20, 2010

5 facts about your career



Here it is then. Here’s an outline of that half-day discussion I’ll be having with Halifax business owners, managers—working folk. Remember? I mentioned it before that I was invited there, and I also mentioned that I’d appreciate reading any comments you’d be kind enough to provide.

And so, with no further preamble, no unnecessary illumination, here are 5 Career Facts You Gotta Know:

  1. It’s what you think, not what you do, that’s important
  2. You can do it
  3. You want fans
  4. It’s not about money
  5. Retirement is a myth

Rather than explaining all 5 items in one post, I thought I’d briefly elaborate on one per day. Given that I also discuss these 5 facts elsewhere on this blog, I’m also providing a link to those previous posts. Does that sound OK to you? Alrighty then. Let’s get going. Here’s Item 1:


Fact No 1: It’s what you think, not what you do, that’s important


The myth goes… If you always do the right things, you will always get positive, successful results.

The fact is, there’s more to it than that. Have you ever heard the expression, going through the motions? Seems to me that whoever coined that phrase was onto something. Whoever coined that phrase was suggesting it takes more than mere doing.

It takes belief and commitment.  It takes conviction, passion and the feeling that you’re doing the right thing. If you don’t have any of that, then you’re just going through the motions. Whether you’re running a business, leading a department or just getting started in your career, remember that success takes more than Following 12 Proven, Effective Management Steps, it takes more than Assuming 10 Tried-and-True Habits. It takes the right mindset, positive thinking, and an unflagging, deeply-ingrained belief in what it is you’re going to accomplish.

Case study: I love the guitar. I love playing guitar, and I look forward to my Monday evening classical guitar lessons. Over the years, I’d often play a piece for my teacher—my timing dead on, my notes precise. After I’d finish, my teacher would shake his head, and say, “No, you’re not quite there yet.”

What? Why? The notes were right, the beat was right.

The issue, though, was that I was going trough the motions. Yes, I was playing it correctly, but I wasn’t revealing, whatsoever, the passion, the phrasing, or the emotion of that piece.

“Play it again,” My teacher would often say, “And this time, make me cry.”

More on this: This post also discusses the topic.

Tomorrow: You can do it

Ideas, suggestions, questions? Please leave a comment.

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March 16, 2010

Are we broken? Can we be fixed?



I read the news today, oh boy…

Yes, John Lennon at his finest.

Unlike Lennon though, my news—this morning—didn’t include a story about a lucky man.

No, plastered in my news, this morning, were voices—forceful, compelling, convincing.

And yet, the voices were confusing and contradictory too. Urgent, cautious and dire in their assessments, their predictions.

You know those voices.

You hear them every day.

They’re the voices telling you; things go better with a Cola.

They’re the voices convincing you; even though you haven’t thought about it, you’d really be happier in a Nova.

They’re the voices urging you; NOW is the time.

NOW is the time to buy stuff—more stuff—bigger and better stuff.

It’s good for the economy.

But.

They’re also the voices telling you; NOW’s the time to think about retirement.

Save for retirement.

Don’t spend, the voices tell you.

Invest.

But have you noticed those same voices—now more formal, now more grave—also telling us to be careful.

Telling us the jig’s up?

Telling us; People, face it, we’re broke.

All of us, broker than broke. Paupers in a pauperdom.

Individuals. Businesses. Government. Broke and barely admitting it.

Yes, those voices say, go ahead, buy, spend, invest, but, please, don’t go into debt.


Memo to voices: can you explain how we’re supposed to do that? Buy all that stuff, spend all that money (so the economy can pick up again), salt away money (for that future la-la land called retirement), all without getting deeper into debt? If we’re broke, and in debt, then how can we do all that? Can you please explain it to me?


Lookit, I’m sorry if this might upset you, distress you.

But it’s in the news and it’s ridiculous.

And besides, it’s not my intention to agitate.

My intention is to offer an option—a way out.

But first, I needed to point out the imponderable landscape—the vacuous, illogical insanity of it all.

The news, so irreconcilable, so inconsistent, tells me the model is broken, kaput. And there aren’t enough of us noticing.

Don’t you see?

The model says work hard, make money, spend, spend, spend.

But remember, the model cautions, to put something away for the future. And remember, too, to stay out of debt (even though you’re already broke).

Other than, that go for it—work, spend, save, stay out of debt.

And then…

Kick back.

Enjoy retirement.

Go on, enjoy it.

It’s all yours. You earned it. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.

But what if?

You don’t enjoy retirement?

What if?

You work hard.

For decades, you work hard, maybe at a job that sucks the life right out of you, only to find that…

You don’t enjoy retirement. It’s boring.

What then?

Well, the model provides a solution—offers a recommendation.

Rejoin the workforce.

After all, big-box stores do need greeters.

No? Not your thing?

Volunteer then. Babysit, drive a school bus, keep busy.

Just find something to do, dammit.

….Like I said, illogical insanity. We’re supposed to sacrifice 30 or 40 years doing something we may not enjoy, we’re supposed to be mindful of our finances (all the while trying not get tripped up by the conflicting minefield of debt, investment and disbursement), and we’re then supposed to sail into  the allegorical sunset…

And that’s why I’m invited to Halifax.

Because I disagree with that vision.

Because I’m proposing a rethink.

Offering a new solution.

A solution I’m calling The 5 Myths of a Working Life.

Which I’ll outline in my next post, I promise.

And, by the way, if you’re the impatient type, it’s in the book. What I’m presenting in Halifax is a subset of what’s in my book, The Net Present Value of Life. Obvious plug, I know, but the experts tell me to keep doing that shameless self-promotion stuff (and to not be so damn apologetic about it).

I’m working on it.

And so, what say you? Is the model broken? Let me know what you think. Please leave a comment.

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March 10, 2010

The Net Present Value in Halifax



Where have you gone Joe Di Maggio…

Ahhh, that Mrs. Robinson; it’s still one of my fav Simon & Garfunkel songs.

Except, maybe, in my case, it should read Where have you gone Michael Di Lauro?

Hmmm, doesn’t quite fit, does it?

The syllables are all wrong.

Anyway…

Haven’t posted in about a week.

It’s been super busy.

There was the Montreal signing.

There was a book giveaway, won by an enthusiastic reader in California—congrats Cortney!

There’s this piece I’m preparing for a print magazine.

And there’s this other thing…

I’m invited to Halifax.

Ever been there?

It’s nice.

Halifax.

A beautiful city. At once, rich in history, diversified in culture, and charming in setting.

A lovely spot, yes. But it’s not tourism or sightseeing bringing me there.

It’s business.

I’m spending a couple of days meeting a consultant or two, chatting up some business owners.

A few financial types, perhaps.

You know, working folk and such.

I’m also delivering a half-day insight—a micro symposium of sorts— into the business aspects of my book.

And I’d like your help.

I’ve come up with a theme for my presentation, I’m calling it The 5 Myths of a Working Life.

It explores those so-called principles for becoming a successful manager, professional practitioner, or business owner.

And I’d like to run it by you. Get your input, your comments, your suggestions.

It’s almost done, but I need a  few more days before I can post an outline.

See what you think.

Thumbs Up. Thumbs Down.

That kind of thing.

If you have time, please read it.

Then feel free to offer any comment that comes to mind.

That would be a tremendous help.

Thank you.

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