Tag Archives: Gen Y

Why my first guest blogger is anonymous

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This is a big leap of faith for me.  

For the very first time since this blog was launched I’ve reached out to ask a reader to write a guest post.  This reader is one of those highly talented but unassuming people who likes to fly below the radar.  That’s why he has asked me to keep his post anonymous.  For the purpose of this post, lets call him Joe. (This reader is also in the habit of sending me quite relevant and thought provoking comments via facebook.)
 
I agreed to publish Joe’s post – even if it meant leaving out his real identity – because I believe that doing so is very much in line with my vision for this blog; and my writing career in general.  In order to inspire and empower my readers, I do not believe that I need to brag about anyone’s flashy titles or qualifications. What adds real value to my readers is a person’s insight and experience.  That is what I believe everyone should wear like a badge of honor – not whether they are a CEO, a director or have an MBA. And that’s exactly why Joe’s words deliver.

I hope that like me, you’ll find many lessons in Joe’s search for his career’s ‘g-spot’.  


Finding “that”*

I was at a funeral recently and arrived a few minutes late.  I was taken aback to hear how inspired and passionate the priest was delivering the speech.  This was probably because he was a close friend of the person who died. He said something very important that we often forget because we are too busy living our daily lives: “Leave a mark before you go and do it by living to the fullest”.
 
I’ve been thinking about his words ever since.  
 
Plenty of priests, rabbis, monks, parents and friends repeat this. As do we, but are we really doing it? Only the person inside each of us can really answer this.
 
When Silvana invited me to participate in this blog I was a bit cautious about what to write.  After considering several subjects, I decided to write about how we go about finding the right career and choosing what we do – because I believe that our decision resonates beyond what most us are aware of.
 
A career is not about academics or money it is about finding the lifestyle that makes us truly happy, something that if taken away from us, makes us cease to exist.  What we study or even the jobs we hold are not what define us. It’s deeper than that. It is how we chose to live and what we are 24/7 that defines us.
 
Then how does one go about finding the path to live to the fullest?  
 
Some are born knowing what they will do, others grow into something, others have a great talent and others happen to find it by some crazy accident.
 
For me, finding the right path, the right job, the right place to be and live, what I call “that” has come after searching and falling for many years. I have shoved my nose into so many industries, places, jobs and what not that I think I have more stories than answers to the question above.
 
And what is “that”?
 
A friend of mine once said that being in love is wanting to be at the same place every day and not getting enough of it. That’s exactly “that” because finding the perfect career or lifestyle is about loving what you do to keep doing it forever.
 
Today I work in the music business.  I’ve been doing so for over 5 years.  To be honest I am not leaving it until someone drags me out after they have killed me. Growing up I never dreamed of doing something like this nor was music an important part of my life, like it is for everyone in my industry. I stumbled upon it after 6 years of being a serial entrepreneur, working in the telecom industry, recycling, aeronautics and the internet. (I got to know the internet industry quite well when the Y2K stock market bubble blew up in my face, hard.)
 
I used to think the music business was easy: you have a talented musician, show him on a stage and thousands will come by some magical reason. I decided to embark on this “easy” task by buying music business books and making phone calls.
 
Then I hit a brick wall so hard it took me a while to get up. This is an industry like any other, governed by laws, treaties, costs, financial projections, negotiations, contracts, inventories, time management and all the little things we deal with in any business. Artists are products.  And I cannot tell you how many thousands or hundreds of thousands there are, plus the millions who want to make it. If you want cutthroat by all means join in.
 
The difference with other industries is that this is a qualitative one. Every product we sell reaches the senses, nothing more. Music hits the emotions like no other vehicle and for some reason it fit me perfectly because all business decisions are based on how the qualitative mixes in with the quantitative, the money. How do you pick a single for a new album? How do you know how to charge for a single concert? How do you sell your artist to an ad agency who wants to place his/her song and image for a brand? We don’t sell carpets that cost $100 to make and sell it for $200 because it fits the market price range. We sell talent and this cannot be measured. This is the beauty of it.  That there are very little formulas in this business; we make them up as we go. For some reason that I still don’t know I am perfect for this (or I like to think so) and want to continue at it for a long time. Since I found it somewhat by accident I am lucky enough to say that “that” found me, but I had been looking for it as well, I just did not know that it was the music industry. I am plain lucky I guess.
 
When it comes to making the right career choice it may sound a bit silly but do it from the gut, which is nothing more than mixing brains and heart. In other words, there is no magic in finding the right career.  It just takes a lot of wanting to explore, falling down and getting back up a million times until you find “that” or it finds you. Being what you do will make you do it well.  Most importantly it will define how far you want to take it.
 
I like Oriental philosophy very much so I’ll leave you with this quote from Confucius: “Find a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
 
 
*Read at your own risk

Free (power) lunch

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Courtesy of McKinsey Quarterly

Invest today’s lunch time to demystify success.  Watch and learn from what a select group of female leaders have to say about success in life and at work.

My favorite piece of advice comes from Shelly Lazarus: “You cannot be afraid to be who you are…live your values. Don’t sneak..stand up, do what you need to do and smile…”

Believe in yourself, seriously

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Thought for today – being produced by a well oxygenated brain and a body high on endorphins after a 45-minute spinning session:

Believe in yourself.  And each time that you’re tempted to either look at what others are doing or imitate them – STOP.  Ask yourself: “Did that person achieve what they did by imitating others? Or did they become a leader in their field by believing in themselves?”

While it is okay to learn from others and have role models – it is not okay to discredit your view of the world around you.

Believe in yourself.  Really, really believe in yourself.

You’re invited to a private celebration

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Although I’ve been writing since I was seven – I was the kid who was writing while most others were drawing – fifty-two weeks ago I took my passion for writing to the next level by embarking on a book project.

During the eight-thousand seven-hundred and sixty-six hours that have gone by since that day, aside from completing a manuscript, I learned many lessons which stand to benefit aspiring authors and anyone else who has been dreaming about taking on a major project in their life.

Sharing those lessons with you is my own private celebration. Welcome!

The right time is when you decide the time is right.  There never really is a right time to start a major project.  Particularly one in which a. the end is not clearly in sight and b. the return on investment is uncertain.  To make it happen, you must carve out a time for yourself. No one else will if you don’t. 

Prioritize.  I’ve heard from so many people who I tell that I’ve written a book things like: “I also want to write a book…but I’ve so many other things going on.”  Stop, I say.  Ask yourself: “How important are all those ‘other’ things in comparison to writing a book – or completing a major project?”  If you had six months to live would you regret not being able to complete your book or major project? Or would you regret not completing all those ‘other’ things?  To find out, right now, take time to figure out what is most important for you.  I guarantee that when you know the answer to: “what will lead me to a meaningful life?” it will become quite difficult to focus on things which do not lead to that, and ignore those that do.

It’s an investment in you.  Completing a major project is certainly an investment in you.  Even when the return is not in sight, investing in you will pay back one way or another – even if your bank account does not show it right after your project is complete.  It could be that an opportunity will arise because of a skill you acquired, or a connection you made along the way.  It’s key to stay open to possibilities.

Only listen to those who support you.  Block out all others who don’t. Imagine that you decide to run a marathon.  For most of us, that’s a gigantic undertaking – I should know, I ran the Disney World Marathon in 1998. Now imagine it’s race day and that you’re running alongside your best friend.  All along the way, your friend is saying something along the lines of: “You won’t make it. What where you thinking when you signed up for this?  You’ll never make it since you’ve never run a major race before and your parents never ran a marathon. You just don’t have what it takes.  Even if you make it to the finish line – which I doubt that you will – you won’t amount to much.”  (Take a few deep breaths)

Now imagine that you’re running and instead your best friend is saying something along the lines of: “I know you can do this.  Even if you haven’t before, there’s always a first time for everything.  Even Olympic athletes have their first event.  Trust me, deciding to sign up was the hardest part.  All you need to do now is place one foot in front of the other.  You’ll make it a step at a time.  Guaranteed. Besides, you have all the time in the world. I’m right here besides you if you need me.  I’m so proud of you.”

The former is how my accountant sounded when I called to ask him on day four of my writing career how I should track my expenses.  My book would not be complete had I paid attention to his words of warning.  The latter is how my husband, family and close friends sounded.  I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. I made it to the finish line in large part because of your support. Namaste.

Start with the end in mind.  For those of you who have participated in a race, be it a 5k, a 10k or a marathon, you know how it’s possible to visualize the finish line.  It’ll take more creativity when you’re engaging in a project.  Even so, it’s vital that you take time to visualize your completed project, that’s your finish line.  When you do, aim to include as much of your senses to your visualization exercise.  If you can, draw a picture of your end result. Then keep your drawing near your work station.  I guarantee that’s what will keep you going – even when times get tough.

Be methodical.  It’s likely that there will be uncertainty while you’re undertaking a major project.  For that reason, it’s vital that you have a degree of control over the process.  To achieve that I suggest that you approach your project methodically.  Doing so will help you stay on track and be productive. 

During the year that I spent writing, I followed a ritual.  My main aim was to give my book the best version of me every day.  Just like an athlete aims to be in the best shape possible for a major event, I treated every day of this past year as a major event.  First, to make sure that I was alert and energetic every day, I did not drink alcohol during the week and went to sleep between 10pm and 10:30pm every night.  Without fail I woke up at 5:10am every weekday to meditate for 20 minutes.  Then I read for 30, and had a 60-minute work out.   Every day I made sure I ate a balanced breakfast and that I was writing by 8:30am.  Finally, I closed every day with what I call a ‘wrap up and psych up’ session.  I took five to ten minutes to evaluate what I had accomplished, and to develop a to-do list for the next day.  Every Thursday morning I would take twenty minutes to evaluate my progress for the week and to set goals for the coming week.  Each time I completed a task, I would cross it off my to-do list. Task by task, my book came to be.

Manage your expectations.  Even that I was committed to following a process – and those who know me, know I’m quite disciplined – there were times when my creativity was not there.  At the beginning, when I experienced this, I would get anxious.  With time I learned that letting go, and not resisting my feelings, helped get me back on track much faster than those times when I insisted on fighting the feeling.  Some times it helped when I got up from my chair and did a 20 to 30 minute meditation.  Believe me, for an ambitious, methodical, control-freak like me, initially lying down in the middle of the day to ‘do nothing’ was not easy.  But I found that doing so helped me get back on track. I learned to see those 20 to 30 minutes as an investment.  If I stopped for 30 minutes, in return I would receive hours of productivity. If I insisted on squeezing material out of my tired mind, I would at most get frustrated. 

Be thankful.  Every single day I took time to acknowledge how lucky I am for having the opportunity to focus on one of my dreams.  To remind myself to say ‘thanks’ I carried a gratitude rock in my pocket and one in my bag. Seeing it made me stop to say: ”thanks for this opportunity”.  This exercise kept me focused, and reminded me to not take a single day for granted – that means I gave my writing the best of me every single day.

Right now ask yourself what can you do to get closer to your goals.  Drop what you’re doing and go do that one thing right now. 

Dan – the personal brand man – does it again

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Dan Schawbel, Gen Y’s personal branding guru, has done it again with his latest issue of Personal Branding Magazine (click here to download your free sample).

As the magazine’s editor, here’s what Dan has to say about this issue:

“Many people rush into personal branding, without first taking precious time to discover who they are and what they want to do for the rest of their lives. In this issue, we expose how to unlock your true potential, unearth your passion, acquire the necessary skills and how to set achievable goals. We’ve interviewed some of the leading businessmen, such as Marcus Buckingham, to help you with your own personal development.”

In a nut-shell, I highly recommend that you go grab a coffee or a tea (if you’re like me) and start reading your free sample.  It’s packed with valuable information – that will take your career game to the next level.

To subscribe to the full publication, which is out on 1 Feb (a few sleeps away), click here.  The price for an annual subscription, which includes 4 issues is $12.95.  Even better, half of the proceeds are donated to the American Cancer Society.

What’s in it for me? 

This is my chance to support a good friend and fellow blogger who’s work I admire and personally learn from.  Also, Dan has invited me to write The Brand Assessment column for the following four issues.  A project I’m most proud and excited about joining.

Stay tuned.

Why on Earth are you here?

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Even during an economic downturn, finding meaning in our lives is not a privilege reserved only for a select few – it’s everyone’s responsibility.

At the risk of sounding too preachy, I’ll borrow some insight from Jewish wisdom that says: ”The day that you were born was the day that G-d decided that the world could no longer live without you.”

That means two things:

First, that we all matter to this world. 

Second, that it is up to each one of us to find out exactly why we were put on Earth – so that we can fulfill our unique purpose. (I can assure you that while paying bills is part of life’s package – it is not anyone’s main reason for being)

Here I share with you the process that helped me uncover what I’ve come to call my reason for being.

To get your mental juices flowing, take time to imagine what you would do with your life if you did not have any bills to pay.  If it helps your imagination, take some time to relax before you answer this question.   Close you eyes if it helps you relax.  Take a few deep breaths.  Let it all go.  Once your mind is still, imagine that it’s your 80th birthday (or 100th depending on your gene pool).  What would you like your friends and family to say about your achievements and your contributions?  What about your adventures?

Now consider the following three dimensions of your work life:

  1. Distinguishing skill: This is something that not only you are able to do well, but you are well known for at work.  Think about the tasks or projects for which you are the ‘go to person’.  For example, among my friends, I’m the go-to-person for career advice.  It’s been that way for several years even before I decided to write a book on the subject.
  2. Predominant interest:  It’s possible that you have many interests.  Even so, pay close attention – observe yourself.  What one interest do you keep going back to?  Which is the one that has not been a passing fad in your life?  If you’ve been drawn to fads all your life, what is the theme of those fads? In my case self-improvement has been the undercurrent of most of my interests.  Whether I’ve taken up meditation, read books on leadership, or spent time learning about health and nutrition.  The predominant theme of all these activities is self-improvement.  Consequently I’ve read hundreds of books that are directly related to the subject.
  3. Obvious strength:  Beyond being a skill or something that you can do, it is part of your essence as a person.  It is not something that you learned through practice.  Instead, it’s something you can do innately.  For example, people who know me well, like my husband of eight years and some of my bosses, have mentioned that I’m great at persuading people about things I believe in.  I did not learn how to do this – and no one taught me this. It’s something I do – and I don’t know why.  If you’re having trouble identifying this, ask people who know you well.  Ask colleagues, bosses, relatives or friends.

Where your distinguishing skill (career advice), predominant interest (self-improvement) and obvious strength (persuasion) intersect is your unique reason for being.

When I took time to complete this exercise, I discovered that my reason for being is:

To inspire and empower people around the world to create, follow and succeed on their path and consequently become better citizens of planet Earth.  To achieve this I will empower you with insight and know-how to claim control over your career and succeed on your own terms.

It’s your turn now.  I’d love to know why on earth were you put on Earth. 

10 tell tale signs of a meaning LESS job

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According to Jewish Mysticism (a.k.a. Kabbalah) the number 9 represents truth*.  Since it’s 2009, I’ve taken the liberty to declare this my year of finding my own truth. 

Part of my commitment has been to discover what gives meaning to my life.  That includes finding meaningful work.  Those things that bring meaning to my life are what I call my truth.  And as I have my truth, I  believe that you do as well.  Some of you may already know what that is.  In case you don’t, read on to see how you can tell if your current job is devoid of meaning.

Here are the tell tale signs:

1.      You feel that it’s enough to do as little as possible in your job. 

2.      You start to crave external rewards, like bonuses, a pat on the back or a ‘well done’ from your boss.

3.      You play the blame game – and flick-off responsibility for your well-being at work to your boss or employer.

4.      You are stuck focusing on ‘what happened?’ rather than ‘what can I do?’ whenever a challenge comes your way.

5.      Little annoyances feel like big obstacles.

6.      It seems that most of your friends’ jobs are better than yours.

7.      You feel jealous – instead of happy – for other people’s achievements.

8.      You spend more time planning your next holiday than developing a five year plan for your career.

9.      Drudgery rather than excitement is your prevailing mood during the week.

10.  Paying bills is your only reason for being – and for getting out of bed every morning.

In my next post I’ll share with you an exercise I completed that brought me closer to finding my truth at work .

Stay tuned.

 

*Thank you Rabbi Shuey Rosemblum for sharing your wisdom.

Is your job meaning full or empty?

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On my latest trip to South America I met a remarkable woman who I’ll call Maria.

Maria took care of my grandfather for many years until the second that life left him a week ago at age 96.*  As thankful as I am for her unconditional support and care for grandpa Pipo during his last years, that’s not the reason why I found her to be a special person.

Here’s why. 

After the funeral, Maria and I became quite close and she opened up to me.  During one of our last conversations she confessed that she had a dilemma and asked me for some advice.  She was in the middle of deciding whether to accept what most of her colleagues would consider an attractive job offer.   My grandfather’s second wife offered Maria the opportunity to stay working in her household and keep her company for an indefinite period of time.  In her new role she would not be required to take care of sick or elderly people.  In essence, Maria was offered a cruisy job for a very competitive pay.  Even so, Maria was conflicted because she happens to take pride and find meaning in her nursing role.  Keeping a healthy person company – although is easy in comparison  – does not give Maria the fulfillment that she finds in knowing that thanks to her, an elderly person has a better quality of life during their last years on Earth.

Maria’s dilemma reminded me of a situation I encountered some years ago while I was attending a sales conference as a medical sales representative.  During an afternoon break I overheard one of the more senior sales reps say to a group of rookies that they should give their new job at least six months, because after they got the hang of things, they wouldn’t have to do much – and still get paid well.  That conversation has stayed with me over the years because I’m still trying to figure out how someone can stay at a job where they get paid to do ‘not much’.  In this situation one might think that employees are short-changing their employer.   In my mind, the only one getting short-changed is the employee who is wasting their lifetime doing ‘not much.’

New York Times best-selling author and ultra-vagabond Tim Ferriss may not agree with me.  He might argue that making money without having to work is the ideal scenario because it means that there’s time to do other things in life – like dance Tango.  That’s fine by me if a vagabond existence brings meaning to someone’s life.  If it doesn’t, then a cruisy job comes only at the expense of the employee – not the employer.

Like Maria, doing something that I find meaningful brings meaning to my life.  That is one of the reasons I go to work.  The question is what brings meaning to your life?  Is that what you’re spending your lifetime on?

 

*Thanks everyone for your kind words and support. Given that Grandpa Pipo passed painlessly at 96, I feel sad that he is gone, but happy that he had a full life and I’m hopeful that he is in a better place. Fingers crossed that I inherited his gene pool!

WARNING: This may rock your world*

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This time last year I was in the middle of making an important decision for my career and life.  I had to decide whether or not I would resign from a corporate job that looked fabulous on the outside to write on a full time basis.  To begin with I had national management responsibilities and was the youngest member of the executive team in a multi-million dollar startup.  I was working with like-minded people and reporting to a female CEO worthy of imitation.  My pay package was quite competitive and I had a 20-minute commute in mild traffic – and across Sydney’s Harbour Bridge which offers a stunning view of the Opera House.

So who in their right mind would even consider resigning from a job like that? Before you judge me too harshly, know that as good as my job sounds, it was not meaningful to me.   It was the role I was aspiring to for years but was ultimately unfulfilling – and that did not feel good inside.

Maybe you’re thinking that I’m asking for too much.  I think it’s quite the contrary.  I left looking to give more, not receive more. 

“How so?”  You ask. 

I reached a point in my career where I’d taken enough.  Among other things, I had the flashy title and the salary I set out to achieve five years earlier.  It was time for me to give back.

In this, my final post for 2008, I share with you the questions I answered and the guidelines I followed that led me to discover what I really want to do with my life. 

Read – at your own risk – if you’re also looking to lead a more meaningful life.

Start with the end in mind.  Begin by asking yourself: “What do I need to achieve in the following five years to feel fulfilled with my life?”  When you answer, allow yourself to dream huge.  Craft your answer around ‘and’ not ‘either/or’ terms. 

If you don’t know what you want, start by writing down what you don’t want, or want less of in your work life. In my case I knew that I wanted to contribute in a more meaningful way.  But I did not know what that meant exactly. I knew that I had to do something that was genuinely me.  Not follow a ‘me-too’ path.  I also knew that selling insurance and managing a team were not what I called ‘contributing’.

Fill your goals with meaning.  Now ask yourself ‘Why?’  “Why do I want to achieve my goals?” Identify what it will mean to you, the ones you love, your community and the world in general once you achieve your goals.  Take time to look inside.  If you find it hard to answer this for a particular goal, be open to the possibility that it could be because that goal is not as important as you originally thought.  If that’s the case, don’t be discouraged.  Instead use this as an opportunity to identify a more meaningful goal.

Knowing the real reasons why you want something so much will help you stay committed to your goals and focused.  For those very reasons, this is the most important step in the process.

Develop a plan.  Finally, ask yourself: ’How?’ In other words, ask: “What do I need to achieve my goals?”  Focus on the resources that you’ll need.  How much time and money will you need?  Do you need to up-skill?  More education? Experience?

Then take time to think through the obstacles that may come across along the way.  Take it a step further and come up with at least two solutions for each obstacle.  Make sure not to confuse real obstacles with your fears.  To tell the difference, test your thoughts against reality.  Are you being catastrophic? Or are you generalizing?

It took me a few days to complete this three-step process, but I guarantee that the time I spent working through it has been one the best investments I’ve made on my career.

May 2009 be a meaningful year for us all.

Take a deep breath – with a little smile.

Silvana

*Rash decisions may lead to career suicide.