Usually I like October. I enjoy cramming my ham hocks back into jeans. I enjoy the plethora of boot styles to gawk at behind storefronts. And I love Hallowe’en and great costumes and candy and Dachshunds dressed up like hot dogs.
Enough!
Over the last few days, I’ve actively sought out some strategies to help quell those negative voices. Meditation helps (and it’s damn good for your brain). Exercise, too (and it’s damn good for your ham hocks). And surrounding yourself with trusted family and friends also does wonders.
From a professional standpoint, it’s very important to prevent the murk from entering the workflow. I could build another analogy here, but won’t because not everyone loves toilet humour as much as I do.
Saul’s post referred to the also inimitable Jelly Helms, who had given him 3 critical questions to consider before working with people. The 3 questions took Saul on a veritable journey of self-discovery (no hyberbole here, friends!), leading to the really rich post I read during my morning angry time.
So here are the questions:
1. What do I love?
2. What do I see that no one else does?
3. What do I do?
I fought with these questions all through the livelong day. I thought of them in relation to my professional life: how I “market” my own small business, and the projects I choose to undertake. Here are my answers:
1. I love learning about people’s business challenges. I especially love to hear what powers an entrepreneur. What is the passionate idea that sparks someone into business? The idea that made them leave their day job and follow that passion? And I love teaching and being part of the lightbulb moment when a technology tool finally makes sense or a strategy comes together.
2. I see opportunities for niche audiences. I see places where content can connect, for as my friend Khayyam Wakil says, “Engagement is hollow without romance.” And I see ways to motivate people to chase their dreams.
3. I connect people to great ideas (usually their own), new avenues of thinking, and new channels of outreach. Sometimes that connection involves social media, and sometimes it involves darts and beer. I help people devise creative strategies.
I felt a whole lot better after that. Focused, and positive. I might have to do it again tomorrow, and I’ll certainly do it again next week.
People will lie to you.
You will be faced with strange requests that test your credibility.
People can be two-faced.
Trolls live under bridges where no goat dare tread.
And somewhere, 2 classrooms in different countries are helping a cute, wee robot find his way home. That oughtta cheer you up.
Thanks to Annelise Larsen, another awesome MOSO contact, for sharing the Robot Stories project. It made my day, week, month!