Email is like being in a firefight. You can either:
- Get out there and fire back all day.
- Emerge from your bunker and fire back twice during the day.
Heroes emerge from both options.
The latter, however, makes your job a whole lot easier.
Category Archives: Business
New employees and dogs
Training a new employee is a lot like training a dog.
- Lots of positive reinforcement.
- Immediate, quick, matter-of-fact corrections to say, “This is not how we do things around here.”
- Continuous training, opportunities and experiences to keep the mind sharp and heart in the right place.
Oh, and don’t forget to take lots of pictures to show off on social media.
Ask the universe for it
Maybe it was because I grew up watching his movies.
Or, maybe it was because his story about his dad working as an accountant resonated with me.
Or maybe it was because his message encapsulates something I think (or write) about every single day.
Whatever it was, it was terrific.
Watch this 60 second clip of Jim Carrey speaking at a recent commencement speech.
Watch it now.
And remember this: “You can fail at doing what you don’t want, so you might as well take a chance and do what you love.”
Wear a watch?
Looking to get more respect? Or be more productive? Or make more money?
Wear a watch.
You’ll be more punctual, less anxious and maybe even a little more fun to be around.
No, a watch doesn’t change who you are.
But looking at your cell phone fewer times per day just might.
Work needs work
Few questions about your work:
- Does it make anyone angry?
- Does it make anyone jealous?
- Do people try to imitate you?
- Does it make anyone happy?
- Are you making anyone think?
- Does it make anyone want to puke?
If you can’t say yes to any of these, your work needs some work.
Bored
The good thing is that it’s tough to get bored these days.
Twitter. Facebook. TV. Instagram. Snapchat. Text messages. Buzzfeed. Reddit. Email. Pets. Kids. Family.
The bad thing is that it’s tough to get bored these days.
Tell everyone you’re loyal
Two considerations regarding loyalty:
- Short-term benefit. Unfortunately, there isn’t much. Loyalty to your employer, in the short run, won’t get you a raise. It probably won’t get you a promotion, either.
- Long-term benefit. The upside is huge. In the long run, loyalty is essentially brand equity in you.
So how do you get ahead today while still being loyal?
Be loyal to your values. Your beliefs. Yourself.
And most importantly, be loyal to your loyalty by touting your loyalness.
What?
Yes.
Tell everyone you’re loyal ( * sung to the tune of Royals * ).
What’s your agenda
I was never at good at OKCupid. Or JDate. Or any of those superficial dating sites.
It takes a while for people to get to know me. To appreciate my schtick.
So, it seems the odds are stacked against me when I applied for this:
It’s not the first session of Godin’s I’ve applied to. And it probably won’t be my last.
If you’re doing something important, consider applying.
Worst case scenario?
Acumen Fund gets a donation, and you put yourself out there.
Not a bad couple items to cross off your agenda today.
First, first
It’s the first lap in the pool. The first sentence you write. The first kiss. The first resume / cover letter you send. The first pedal on your bike.
You’ve done it all before. So it’s not really the first.
Maybe just the first in a while.
The first might not be pretty.
But you can’t make any progress without doing the first, first.
Right?
So, jump right in.
What’s your job title?
The great Mitch Hedberg had a joke about naming kitchen appliances.
When coming up with its title, just figure out what it does and then add “er” to the end.
A refrigerator. A toaster. A blender.
The same goes for your job title.
What’s yours?
A lawyer. A retailer. A jeweler. A founder. A web entrepreneur. A firefighter.
All great job titles.
What about the job titles that don’t necessarily denote compensation?
A leader. A mother. A father. A mentor. A dog lover.
THOSE are the important jobs titles — the ones that get carved into your tombstone.
So…
What’s your job title?