Browsing Tag

Motivation

Life

Do You Have A ‘Great’ Idea?

February 17, 2010

There are ideas and then there are great ideas. The difference between ‘ideas’ which we think of everyday and the occasional great idea, is that great ideas compel us to tell someone and take action. Whether it’s a new way to improve public transit or new method of understanding online customers, great ideas are dangerous for one reason: they change the status quo.

For many, status quo means doing what everyone else is. In other words, fitting in.

So why do people like to fit in? The saying “go with the flow,” is popular among the masses and refers to complying with the systems set in place. Perhaps it is the convenience of having a system established on how to do things or the idea of ‘blending in,’ but what we all need to remember is that fitting-in means that you are boring. Applying Seth Godin’s concept of “the purple cow,” individuals that choose to ‘go with the flow’ and make no effort to be ‘remarkable,’ are replaceable. Continue Reading…

Entrepreneur

Dream Like An Entrepreneur

October 22, 2009

When we go to bed at night, we enter a whole new world. A world where you can do things you never imagined and where nothing seems out of the ordinary. While it may just be a dream, for entrepreneurs, dreams don’t just stop when the alarm goes off. The dictionary defines ‘dream’ as “a series of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations occurring involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep.” For entrepreneurs though, it means more than that. What makes dreams unique is that it more often than not, the chances of it happening in ‘real life’ is impossible. Whether it’s flying through the air like a bird or exploring the depths of the ocean with no worries about oxygen, dreams for the most part are just a ‘story’ told during our sleep. Still, what if you decide that anything is possible. The moment you stop believing that dreams are impossible, that is the moment you begin to dream like an entrepreneur. Continue Reading…

Sports

How To Be Kobe Bryant In The Workplace

May 23, 2009

If you were to take away the Hollywood sign, most everyone would notice and panic. Similar to that sentiment, if Kobe Bryant were to play basketball in any city other than Los Angeles, people would be in disarray and begin a ‘bring Kobe back’ campaign. While Kobe leaving LA may seem like a far off issue, Kobe has become such an established brand in Los Angeles, that Los Angeles without Kobe is like a sandwich with no bread. While the average fan can only imagine being Kobe Bryant and making the clutch shot in the last moments of a game, that doesn’t mean you can’t be Kobe Bryant in the workplace.

When Kobe entered the NBA he was just 17 years old at the time. As a rookie, scouts and NBA analysts saw flashes of brilliance, but also saw streaks of immaturity and lack of discipline. For most of us, we too go through something similar to what Kobe had to go through. When starting a job, we try to do the best we can, but that doesn’t mean we always do it right. Kobe’s role during his first year was to learn and play the role he was given which was off the bench at the time. When starting with a company it is important to spend time learning the in’s and out’s of how the company runs and also to perform your tasks to the best of your abilities. Doing so will guarantee you more ‘playing time’ later on as you gain the the respect of your peers and seniors. Continue Reading…

Career, College, Economy

Who Says You Can’t Find A Job?

March 23, 2009

One of the most common complaints that people have is that they just can’t find a job. Largely, if not entirely due to the economy, unemployment is at an all-time high and more and more individuals are finding themselves at home. Many of my friends have told me that they have applied to several jobs only to never hear back from them. So what is the problem here? When people say that they can’t get a job, the first thing I ask them is “where have you looked for a job?”

Saying that you can’t find a job should mean that you have tried every possible job opening available and still can’t get an offer. What most people mean when they say is that they can’t get a job is that they can’t get a job they feel they are best qualified for. Take for example the recent college graduate. After 4 years of hard work, they would expect to be rewarded with a full time job that somehow justifies their hours of studying and hard work. In reality, because of the economy many recent college graduates are finding themselves unemployed and back at home.

Graduating college, you come away with some expectation of what life post-college would be like. You expect to have a job that you have prepared for all during college and expect to have some sort of ‘plan.’ With the economy the way is though, you should expect nothing and should be ready to change your ‘plans’ at any moment. The point I am trying to make is that Yes, you should apply to all those jobs that you feel you should get but that you should also be flexible in the jobs you apply for. Just because you were an accounting student in college doesn’t mean you can’t apply for jobs you are overqualified for or out of your focus.
Continue Reading…