Tag Archives: risk-taking

Vista Panorámica

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hughLuego de pasar horas frente a obras de arte tan reconocidas como El Jardín de las Delicias (El Bosco), Las Meninas (Diego Velazquez), 2 y 3 de Mayo de 1808 en Madrid  (Francisco de Goya), La Guernica (Pablo Picasso), y Composición VI (Vasily Kandinski),* es evidente que para hacer historia, seas artista, empleada o empresaria las reglas del juego son las mismas.

  1. Tomar riesgos. Los artistas se arriesgan desde ese instante que deciden crear algo que no existe. Si no lo hicieran, jamás crearían una obra.  En el mundo del trabajo es cuando te sales de tu zona de comodidad cuando progresas – y avanzas en tu carrera.  Es imprescindible tirarse al agua – y empezar a nadar. Así sea en la dirección contraria. Ya que solo la retroalimentación de tus acciones son las que te permiten encontrar soluciones. Es decir, paralizada en el borde de la piscina, solo veras a otros nadar – y a la vez aprender de sus errores y retos, y de esa forma progresar.  Intenta verlo como un juego en el que única forma de divertirte es jugando – no mirando a otros jugar.
  2. Autoconfianza. Aquellos artistas, al igual que gran parte de personas en el mundo de los negocios, que han hecho historia, han sido innovadores.  Eso quiere decir que hicieron lo que otros antes que ellos no habían hecho – y posiblemente tampoco creían posible. Como tal su único punto de referencia eran ellos mismos – ya que si buscaban aprobación externa arriesgaban ser tildados de locos (cosa que en algunas épocas les costaba la vida).  En cierta forma su autoconfianza era su mejor aliado.  En el mundo del trabajo la colaboración y el trabajo en equipo no dan vía libre a la falta de autoconfianza. Ambos producen los mejores resultados cuando cada integrante cree en si mismo – y aporta al máximo sus fortalezas.
  3. Disciplina. Posiblemente la reputación que tienen los artistas de tener vidas personales desordenadas (dentro de los nombrados anteriormente, la mas memorable es la de Picasso), opaca lo exigente que es el arte como profesión.  Ni por un nanosegundo dudes del rigor y de la metodología que se requiere para  hacer buen arte – ese que hace historia. Aunque existen diferentes estilos de trabajo; hagas lo que hagas, desde donde mas te convenga, de la forma como mejor te parezca, a las horas que escojas, recuerda que los mejores resultados se alcanzan por medio del trabajo enfocado, realizado con compromiso – ambos requieren de disciplina.
  4. Visión. Es precisamente un mayor desarrollo, innato o facilitado, de la inteligencia visual la que lleva a muchos a ser artistas.  ¿Ya que como mas se crea algo de la nada? Aun así, el hecho que no lleves la marquilla de artista, no quiere decir que no tienes capacidad de visualizar – y ser creativa para ver más allá de lo tangible. Trabajar dentro de un cubículo u oficina no excluyen la creatividad.  Sea que estés trabajando con Excel, PowerPoint o SAP,  hay campo para tu creatividad.  Si alguien – por ejemplo tu jefe – te dicen lo contrario, re lee el punto 2.

Buena semana.

*Escogí no mencionar a mujeres artistas – aunque abundan en la historia de la humanidad. Es mi forma de resaltar la falta de obras de mujeres en los principales museos de Madrid.  Curiosamente en el Museo Reina Sofía se encuentra 1 planta – de 5  – destinada a obras de mujeres. Aun así, las presentan dentro de un contexto feminista. Trato que insinúa que una mujer no feminista no es artista.

¿Te gusta el cartoon? Gracias Hugh MacLeod – encuentra mas en este link.

Medio tiempo.

empoderamiento, empoderamiento profesional,

Soccer feverEs un hecho, soy hiperactiva.  Por lo tanto mirar fútbol en la televisión (que implica ver a otros moverse mientras yo estoy echada sobre una silla) es una amenaza contra mi existencia.

Entonces buscando algo para hacer en un sportsbar, (y aturdida por los gritos de los fanáticos ingleses a mi alrededor), deje mi mente correr.  Mas que todo busque aprender acerca de la esencia de un atleta profesional.  Es decir, ¿que diferencia a cada uno de esos jugadores de los miles de otros futbolistas que hoy no están en Sur África? 

Siendo que se lo ocupada que estas con la fiebre de fútbol – aquí comparto lo que aprendí – que creo te dará unas pistas para tu propia carrera:

  1. Sin su equipo no son nada.  Antes de que me linches por apuntar hacia algo que parece obvio, piensa en lo difícil que debe ser para una súper estrella de fútbol – con un súper ego (y una súper cuenta bancaria) – tener que depender en un equipo para sus logros. Aun así, lo hacen.  Desde Rooney, Kaka y Dunga, hasta Casillas y Messi – jugador de fútbol que se respete sabe jugar con su equipo.  Acuérdate de esto la próxima vez que pienses que en tu trabajo lo puedes lograr todo sola.
  2. Ser súper dotado no es suficiente. Claro que es una ventaja ser innatamente bueno en una actividad, pero para lograr ser de talla de mundial se necesita mas – mucho mas.  En su libro Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell cuantifica la disciplina que se necesita. El cálculo lo llama La Regla de las 10,000 Horas – que como su nombre lo dice, se necesita un promedio de 10,000 horas de práctica para lograr sobresalir.  Acuérdate de esto la próxima vez que pienses que ya tu trabajo termino porque eres innatamente mejor que muchos en una actividad.
  3. Sentir pasión no es un lujo.  Hay quienes piensan que amar lo que hacemos es privilegio de pocos.  Que es más que todo un lujo que se pueden dar aquellos que viven en una burbuja ya que no tienen cuentas por pagar.  Si hasta ahora estas de acuerdo con esta forma de pensar, te invito a que observes bien a esos jugadores de talla mundial.  Muchos vienen de hogares donde es un reto suplir necesidades básicas.  Aun así, si observas bien te darás cuenta que cada uno de esos jugadores ama jugar fútbol. Saben que es lo que los hace realmente felices. Y es ese sentimiento intenso – eso que llamamos pasión – es lo que les permite ser tan disciplinados.  Piénsalo.  Si esos jugadores no sintieran pasión, si esa energía no corriera por su cuerpo,  no habría suficiente Gatorade en el mundo para mantenerlos practicando 10,000 horas – hay veces bajo extremo calor, otras bajo la lluvia, otras bajo frío. Practicando para perfeccionar su talento innato – hasta llegar al punto que un balón parece parte de su cuerpo.  así que no te dejes confundir. La pasión no es solo el combustible de atletas profesionales, es un requisito para todos aquellos que buscan éxito profesional.
  4. Todo camino tiene riesgos.  Al comienzo de la carrera de cada uno de esos atletas profesionales, como es el caso en la carrera de cualquier profesional, es imposible saber que resultados dará ese talento y todas esas horas de práctica. Por lo tanto es un riesgo apoyar a cualquier profesional – por muy talentoso y disciplinado que sea.  Pero en parte es gracias a los riesgos que tomaron esas familias que su hijos estan en el mundial.  Aun así sostengo que se puede arriesgar de forma estratégica.  Por ejemplo, si estas pensando en abandonar tu trabajo actual para perseguir tu pasión, considera hacer ambas cosas.  Es decir, mantener un trabajo para sostener tu estilo de vida actual (pagar cuentas) y sacar tiempo para practicar lo que te apasiona.  No estoy sugiriendo que relegues tu pasión a la categoría de hobby.  (tan solo la palabra me causa alergia) Todo lo contrario. Sugiero, que si tanto amor sientes hacia algo, que busques tiempo para hacerlo – así sea que no te quede tiempo para hacer más.  De esta forma, no estarás arriesgando todo – pero estarás dedicando tiempo a lo que te apasiona.

Ahora si, ¡que la fiebre de fútbol corra por tu cuerpo!

 

Gracias al Boston Globe por la foto.

A New Kind of Hero for a New Kind of World, Hero #12

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(This post is part of a pact I made. Click here for the full story.) 

Meet Rebecca.   Google her name and you will quickly learn that she’s a fellow strategic job hopper.  (long live!)

Her career started with a job in environmental consulting after she graduated from college with a BA in Interior Design and Environmental Studies. Then she worked at a nonprofit raising funds for several projects.  She strategically used that experience to apply – and be offered – the job as Executive Director at MAGNET – another nonprofit that since 2004 has been focused on identifying and retaining young talent in the Madison, Wisconsin area.  Looking for more national exposure, today Rebecca is part of the social media and marketing team over at Alice.com.  As their tag line goes: EVERYONE needs an Alice…NEVER run out of toilet paper (go see for yourself if you don’t believe me).  What da? National exposure  and start-up is the reason behind this job stop.  Rebecca also is the author behind the blog Modite.com.  That’s how we met – through the blogosphere, mainly because it’s so easy to read her blog for hours. 

That said, what drew me to her story is that above it all, Rebecca is a Gen Yer who’s quite vocal – and active in social media.   That’s because she’s one of those people who’s driven by the task of changing the world.  In her own words – taken from an interview over at Conversation Agent: “Generation Y wants to change the world. Not the environment. Not healthcare. Not education. Not poverty. Not racism. Not sexism. Not war. Not cancer. Not anything, really. Just the world. We want to change the world.”

Changing the world, that’s where Rebecca finds her career nirvana – that’s her reason for being.

And what is her contribution to this generational cause?

Risk taking. 

Looking to contribute – and in the end to lead an extraordinary life –  Rebecca has re-invented herself several times over. From working in consulting to the nonprofit sector, and now at a business start-up.  Being that I’m a firm believer that every single stop in our work-lives has a purpose – one that at times you may not be aware of, but it’s there for sure – it’s obvious that Rebecca is one to continue watching.  Her current stop in the business sector is just a launch-pad to something greater. 

World, just you watch!

In her words: “There was a moment each time I changed jobs that I was terrified. I kept thinking, ‘Who do you think you are? You are going to FAIL!’ It was awful. But then I remembered that failure is a better option than staying. That you should always be growing and challenging yourself. Otherwise, you settle. Settling is boring…. The main lesson I’ve learned is that life rewards risk-takers.”

Note to self: Next time that you find yourself sitting on the fence, ask yourself: “What does it mean to lead an extraordinary life?” Then start NOW.

Is there a method to Rebecca’s aparent career madness? You bet.

“I trust my intuition.”

Note to self:  Learn to listen and to trust yours.  Once you do, you will find that your intuition acts like a magnet for opportunnities.  Attracting into your life that what is meant to be – for your good and the greater good.  (this is not woo-woo – it’s the reason why you have gut feelings).

A New Kind of Hero for a New Kind of World, Hero #11

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(This post is part of a pact I made. Click here for the full story.)

Meet JC. Hearing him tell me about his career path left a sizeable smile on my face. It could be because he has such a contagious – and warm laughter. Or because his story is so inspiring – and quite unique. It could also be because he shared with me his story with a sense of honesty and transparency that I had not come across before.

That said, I’ve spent the past few days trying to work out if JC is an adrenaline junky or one of the bravest persons I’ve ever met. Because there’s such a fine line between the two, I’m finding it hard to tell. I’ll let you make up your own mind.

Being that JC`s dad is a successful business man, throughout this interview I kept wondering why JC did not follow in his dad’s foot-steps. After all, JC has the option to join a business which could meet his financial needs several times over. Yet time after time, JC has chosen to go after his passions.  “I’m a big believer that you gotta follow your passion…In my little world and experiences, I think that’s where people make a big mistake. They go into things for the wrong reasons…to please others…You have to remember that a lot of people get jealous. They don`t want you to succeed…they try to bring you down…So don`t worry about what others say, don`t let others dictate your life.”

Yet speaking with JC it became clear that none of his career decisions have been driven by rebellion or anger towards his father or family. During our interview, at one point I mentioned that when he laughs he sounds just like his dad. Almost instinctively he said that he was honored by my comment. “My dad is a very special man. I admire him…what he’s done.”

He also told me: “I’m simply not an office person…I don`t have it in me.” This he found out after he set up an online business with his brother. As much as he enjoyed the adrenaline rush that comes from working on a start-up, he did not enjoy working in an office.

Note to self: Unthinkable force is generated when you work in line with your life’s purpose.

Driven by his passion, JC has been on a path that has led him, time after time, to break the mold that he inherited from his dad. Since the age of 16, JC has been a certified pilot. Flying is his first love. As I found out, it’s not his only love.

When I asked him what drove him to pursue such a risky – and expensive – activity he said to me: “It’s hard to describe…it’s in my blood…it’s like a drug. It’s inside of me – a deep passion for flying.”

Note to self: Your own reason for being lies inside of you. Finding it is a matter of learning to listen to it.

After getting his flying license, he became a flight instructor – one of the youngest at the academy. At 20 he was hired by a commercial airline, where he worked for eight years, flying domestic 1 to 2 hour ‘short hops’. He was then hired by another major airline. That job lasted four years until he was laid off following the shake up after 9/11.

He highlighted more than once that: “Flying is one of those jobs that if you don’t have a passion for it, you can’t do it.” As he explained, getting a license is a big time commitment. And the work schedule is quite demanding. It requires that you’re away from family for long periods of time – which means that you’ll end up missing a lot of important occasions.

He also told me that he’s thankful that he was in one of the last groups to get laid-off. However, as he explained, that also meant that most of the good jobs in other airlines were already taken. He made it quite clear that he’s not one to dwell on things. “Those around me tell me that I deal with things differently.” His girlfriend has even mentioned that at times it seems that he has a switch which allows him to move on almost instantly.

That being the case, shortly after getting laid off, he started to seriously consider a job in the police force. To learn more about what’s involved, he went on a few ride-alongs, where he spent the day on the field with real life cops. That is when he felt that he had found his second passion. “I remember the second or third call I went on. It was to handle a domestic violence incident…It’s pretty much the only job where you can right a wrong. That’s a really powerful thing. And it happens almost every day. I’m also an adrenaline junky…(as he says this, I can almost feel his pulse quicken) you go from 0 to 100 and back to 0. I love that. That happens in policing all the time. A million things can happen in a millisecond. That’s how I feel alive!”

Let that echo inside your brain one more time…that’s how I feel alive.

Note to self: What makes you feel alive?

As he told me: “it’s not that I’m heartless (or a career slut) – or that my passion for flying seized to be.” This is quite evident by how he described feeling when he got laid off: “When I got laid-off, that was one of the saddest days of my life. I’d spent 10 years working to the point where I could drive this big piece of equipment…by then I was on cloud million…Loosing my job was like facing a death sentence…I knew it would happen…just not when.” He then told me that he had some time to mourn, but being one not to dwell on things, he said to himself: “it happened…pick up the pieces and lets move on.”

Note to self: What have you been dwelling on? Let go…

His original plan was to work as a cop for four to five years tops – until he got called back by the airline. Five years later when he got called back, he went back to flying for 7 months. Then decided to return to his job in the police-force. And he has been back for over a year. He told me that the catalyst for this decision was the death of his dog Matt. On the day Matt died, he was not in town because he was scheduled to fly. It bothered him that he could not be there for his dog who had been there for him so many times. He also sensed that the industry had changed for the worst. He knew that it was time to let go.

Note to self: Be clear on your values. When things change around you, let your values shine a light on your path.

Aside from passion, JC is driven by a strong pursuit for excellence. More than once he said to me: “I don`t believe in half-assing anything I do. I take things to the limit.” His achievements are proof of this. Aside from making it into the SWAT team, the police force’s most elite team, in 2008 he was named officer of the year.

As determined, strong and intense as JC is he has a very soft center. First, he’s a self-confessed animal lover. Until he met his girlfriend, his two dogs were the love of his life. (I sense that his soon-to-be-born child will also top the list) JC also loves photography. To the point where he now has a business taking fashion and wedding pictures, whenever he’s off-duty.

He said to me that he stumbled upon his photography business by pure chance. “It was a freak accident.” It started when a friend in the police force asked him for help with a modeling portfolio. Being that JC has been taking pictures since he was a kid – mostly of planes – he agreed. And the rest is history.

In spite of JC immersing himself fully to learn about photography, he admits that often times he isn’t 100% certain of how to take certain shots his clients ask for. Yet he still takes those jobs. It’s not that his deceitful. Rather he believes, as he tells new police recruits: “There comes a time when you’re gonna have to grab your balls and just go! You gotta be confident. Even if you don`t (fully) know what’s going on, you gotta pull it through.”

And so he has. Today his client base is growing, even in a slow economy.

Note to self: Go beyond faking it until you make it. Focus on making it.

JC leaves us with his intensity.

“You gotta trust your gut…Always have enough confidence in yourself that you’ll survive and the balls to do it. A lot of people talk a lot…I’ve always tried to be a do-er and not a talker. You gotta try different things, be adventurous…”

 Photos by JC

A New Kind of Hero for a New Kind of World, Hero #6

alcanza metas, autoconciencia, empoderamiento, empoderamiento profesional, encontrando significado, estratégico y sostenible, liderazgo, nirvana profesional, tomadecisiones, , , , ,

(This post is part of a pact I made. Click here for the full story.)

Meet Joe*, a young serial entrepreneur.

Guided by his appetite for risk-taking and passion for military strategy since the age of 12, Joe found his career Nirvana in the music industry, after going broke and getting back up several times.

In his own words: “I have always wanted to be an entrepreneur. My biggest dream has always been to have a lifestyle around my work, to be completely free of bosses or people telling me what to do or how to spend my time.”

Staying true to his childhood dreams, Joe has taken several risks with his own capital.  He’s worked in the telecom industry, recycling, aeronautics and the internet.  As he wrote to me: “I got to know the internet industry quite well when the Y2K stock market bubble blew up in my face, hard.” 

In spite of his financial risk-taking, from how Joe defines a career, it’s quite clear that he’s driven by much more than money and success.

“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.”

“…being in love is wanting to be at the same place every day and not getting enough of it. That’s exactly (what) finding the perfect career or lifestyle is about, loving what you do to keep doing it forever.”

Note to self: Define your career. Control your life.  What does success mean to you?

As strategic as he has been, he feels that he stumbled upon his career Nirvana by pure luck. “In my case (my career Nirvana) came serendipitously…For some reason my (music) business came to me as much as I went to it. I do not believe in destiny, I believe we make our own but this makes me doubt. I love my job and it fits me perfectly but never in a million years did I think I’d be doing it. The moment I bought my first book on ‘Music Business’, the moment I opened the first chapter I knew I wasn’t leaving it.”

He then said: “…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…I have shoved my nose into so many industries, places, jobs…”

Note to self: Be open to exploration.  Stay open to finding your career Nirvana in unexpected places.

Experience has taught Joe that being indecisive can be costly: “I have gone broke because of (the) when/then game and it is probably (one of) the most important things a business manager or leader (needs) to know. You must know when to stop or when to change direction. If you do it too soon, you’ll miss out, if you stay on the same path thinking things will change doing the same things you are doing you will fail. There is a great deal of importance in this. (Unfortunately)…we will only learn (to be decisive by) practicing. It hurts…Decisions in business are the H in H20.”

Note to self:  Practice making decisions.

Joe has also learned that failing is part of the learning process. In spite of going broke, he wrote to me: “(I have) no regrets…Falling down is almost a pre-requisite to being an entrepreneur. Even more so is getting back up. Companies today are hiring executives who have failure in their CV’s because falling down teaches so much more than success. One must enter any endeavour committed to it. If you fail or win, (something) can be (gained) from (the experience). So by all means jump. Worst that can happen is that you will lose all you have and you have to get back up again. It sounds pretty rash but it is the entrepreneurial game…”

Note to self: Failure is the new success.

When I asked Joe if he’s planner, he almost sounded like a general preparing for war: “I always, always, always have a plan. First I write out what I want to do then I put it in numbers. When I do the numbers I am extremely pessimistic. If they turn out ok I just go for it, no matter what…there are 3 secrets to business: Plan, plan, plan. Having a plan and executing it are completely different things. Military strategy says that any plan goes bust when the first shot is fired, the same is true for business.”

Note to self:  Plan, plan, plan.

Joe’s scars of war have left him with several lessons, which he was happy to share with aspiring entrepreneurs:

“Definitely, I would try to gain more experience. It is very important to learn as many ropes as you can from an industry, then go solo. This does not mean that one cannot be successful by jumping in. It’s good to risk but it is also good to have at least one foot on the “sane” side.”

 

Image for post chosen by Joe. In his words: “It’s a circle called Enso (Japanese origin).  It sombolizes many things in Zen Buddhism. Emptiness, wholeness, perfection, imperfection, many things. I love it.”

 

*Name changed for privacy reasons. 

Failure – the new success?

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Thomas Edison’s 10,000 failed attempts before inventing the light-bulb has been overused for good reason.  In this video, the car manufacturer Honda does a great job at showing how failure is an integral part of anyone’s path to success.  In essence, it’s when you’re not failing, that you’re a failure.  

Why? Because when you push your own limits, walk on the edge and take risks, failure is a possibility. Following that logic, if you never fail, it means that you haven’t pushed yourself far enough or taken enough risks.  Those who have succeeded know that transcending their own glass ceiling and taking risks is part of the package of success.  

Know that for failure to lead to success, you must be open to the lessons that failure leaves. Be diligent about tracking and learning the lessons of your mistakes. That is how you will improve.

I’d LOVE to learn about your own failures.