Your First Try Isn't Going to Be Your Best Work

There's just some folks whom God has given a special insight into humans.....what makes us tick and precisely what it takes that brings some of us that upper cut of accomplishment.

The legendary human I am referring to is Seth Godin. His books are so rich with profound meaning I find that i need to take it in in small doses or I will just implode with insight.

One of the great insights that Seth Godin has gleaned from his own journey to "success" is the essential need to continue to believe in your work even when it sucks. It's when you know the quality of your work is really bad, that it is most tempting to give up. But it is right at that moment that we are also most teachable.
When we have the sense to realize that our work, our product, our service or our art is of poor quality, is the time that we begin our search for what will make it great.......really great.

Some artists go on painting naively for decades and never really admit that their work stinks.
Now, wait a minute, I'm not being cruel. I'm just saying that recognizing poor quality is an urgently important part of eventually producing something of incredible quality. Do you want folks to ooh and ahhh over something you have made? Be willing to accept your own criticisms and then DON"T quit.

Just keep going, and yes, power through that season of "yikes ...what was I thinking" to where you are able to make a change. Being willing to make a change because of something that you have noticed is 100 times better than being forced out of the game because of something someone else has noticed. Criticism is best self-served.

Do you agree? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Peace.




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What I Appreciate About Timothy Ferriss

today I'm just gonna write a short blurb about the famed author and lifestyle "hacker" named
Timothy Ferriss. If his name doesn't ring a bell, you may recognize his work more so by his book entitled
"The Four Hour Work Week".

I suppose there are just some things that I can really relate to when it comes to appreciating Timothy's
attitude towards life. First of all, he really wants to live life on his own terms. He's not afraid to be labeled eccentric or unusual, as he is probably proud of those kind of labels. If being labeled unusual or eccentric is the price I have to pay for creating my own best life, then I will happily pay it")

I recently watched an episode of Morgan Spurlock's show "A Day in the Life of Tim Ferriss"
here's the link on Vimeo
http://vimeo.com/47614661

The episode showed just what the title entails, just precisely what Tim does in a typical day. It isn't that I'm spell bound by watching other people's lives, it's more that I am always on the lookout for people that I can relate to.
So, in my own wonderfully quirky way, I saw a few more similarities.

Tim has an incredibly short attention span, and has figured out his own self labelled "OCD" by making sure his projects generally don't last for more than 3 months. He simply gets bored out of his mind if his projects last longer than this. Therefore his consulting gigs are a perfect match, because he likes to work in short and intense bursts of energy, rather than long arduous hauls.  He also demonstrated how he sets himself up to write on this blogs and websites, with a movie running on his laptop on mute, music playing in his ears via earphones and him typing away on his sites. When I found myself reading two or three books or magazines at the same time, I realized that I might also have this propensity, to have to have a lot of things going at the same time in order to prevent boredom and still remain in control and stay productive.

Tim also has a unique interest in managing his own health.....just like me. He recently signed up with a private blood testing company that is doing an in depth analysis of Tim's blood in order to diagnose any areas for potential concern, so that Tim can start now to make the lifestyle or dietary changes now before any diseases develop. I too, aim to be ahead of the game in prevention of disease and illness by tweaking how I live and by what I eat/drink.

Thirdly I just appreciate the "bootstrappiness" of Tim Ferriss. He actually used that beautiful word "bootstrapping" in the video. He just isn't afraid to work hard and make changes on his own terms. He's not looking for everyone's approval. He is looking for his own approval by creating a lifestyle that satisfies his own priorities and prescription for a great life. I think that's just simply raw courageous genius.

Have you read any of his books? Looking forward to reading your thoughts in the comment section below.
Peace and wellness.

Check out Tim's website: http://fourhourworkweek.com

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Access is Everything

One of the reasons I started this blog so many years ago, was simply because I was struck by the incredible power of access. Huh? What ya talkin' 'bout? Well, let me put it this way.
If you have been facing a roadblock in your career, it just may be an issue of access.

You see, relationships bring about access to new realms of influence and information and networking. And of course most of us know that having the best and most accurate information is absolutely essential. "Knowledge is power" as they say....

But what if you just don't know anybody? What if you are isolated and not mingling with anyone in your field of interest? Well, there's no time like the present. Figure out where your ideal network of colleagues hangs out, and go there. Is it really that simple? Yes....it actually is.

When you get there, make sure you know why you are there. Don't just hang out without a purpose.
Successful people always value the imminent power of time. Career minded individuals count their time as more valuable than gold. And no, this doesn't make them cocky, it just makes them efficient and effective. They won't let you into their inner circle if you don't value their time.

Show a little humility. Yes, that "h" word. Folks seem to squirm when I use it. But there is much to be said about the power of a humble heart. By "humble" I merely mean, that you have to have a demeanor that shows that you realize you need what someone else has in order to move ahead. Don't act like you don't need anybody. Don't act like you've got it made in the shade....or no one will spend any time at all with you.
Act like you know what you want, but that you are willing to do as advised to get where you want to be.
Stay teachable. Stay reachable. Keep your cell phone on, even if it's with your last dollar. If folks can't find you, they can't connect you to their network of contacts and colleagues. Access is Everything.

So, in summary, if you feel like you're facing an impenetrable grey brick wall and you don't see any way through it nor over it...it just might be time to meet and greet someone with greater access. Meeting the right person at the right time, may pluck you out of obscurity into the limelight where those walls no longer exist.

Peace and prosperity.

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