In Search of Wisdom
It’s uncanny how the words we use affect us.
When we say “we can’t”, instead of “we won’t”.
When we say “we should”, instead of “we want”.
When we say “we want”, instead of “we must”.
Do the words “problem, resolve, issues, never, past” dominate your life, or “solution, improve, results, can, future”?
People build words. Words build cultures. And cultures build people.
Be careful of the words you use. If they were people, would you want to live with them?
There are lines that shouldn’t be crossed; like shoving little old grannies off the stairs, stealing candy from a baby, and scamming people of their money.
Unfortunately, the get-rich-quick scam has probably been around since the day the first coin was minted. The sad thing is that, with the times being what they are, there are going to be a lot more of these guys peddling their schemes and more people desperate to hear them out.
Just flip open the papers today and see how many ads promise you buckets full of cash for no money down.
Cue words of wisdom from Seth Godin:
If someone offers to sell you the secret system, don’t buy it. If you need to invest in a system before you use it, walk away. If you are promised big returns with no risk and little effort, you know the person is lying to you. Every time.
Now, I’m an Internet guy, so here’s a rule of thumb when you hear about these get-rich-quick on the Internet courses: most of what they say is available online for free, if you’re willing to do a little work.
Yea, that’s it in a nutshell. Oh, and one more: it’s always going to be a lot more work than they say it’ll be.
Sorry, I can’t resist. One more: watch out for the guy who’s making it rich only by telling you how to make it rich.
I don’t think growth happens by default. I think positive growth is a conscious choice.
You don’t grow by default as you grow older. I know people older than me who’ve stopped growing since before they were my age.
You don’t grow just by being thrown into new situations. I was in the army for two and a half years, and I saw people who were the same the day they left as the day before they enlisted.
I think you make a conscious choice to grow, based on three main decisions: what you focus on, what you decide it means, and what to do about it.
So please, choose well my friend.
This is what I wanted to say.
You say your boss doesn’t know what he wants, and that’s a problem.
Well, yes, it is.
It is also a great opportunity.
Ultimately, your boss isn’t looking for someone who can do what he wants like a good little robot. What he really wants is someone who can solve his problems, and give him better solutions than he could ever have thought of on his own.
So your job isn’t to give your boss more problems. Your job is to provide kick-ass solutions.
I know you’re thinking; so what’s in it for me? It’s important to be fair. It’s important to get just rewards for the results you produce. I know you work hard, and you’ve been bounced around, being asked to do a lot of things with very little to work with. It’s tough, I know. You may or may not believe it, but I’ve been there.
It’s also important to realize that you’ll only get what you give, and that most of the time you have to give a lot more than you think you should to get what you want.
So pause for a while of thinking about what you can get. What can you give? What do you want to give?
I’m asking you to grab the damn bull by the horns and ride it for all its worth. I’m asking you to lead, instead of follow. I’m asking you to move, instead of wait. I’m asking for you to present, instead of listen.
The worst kind of writing is one where you hedge your bets and see-saw all over the place.
If you’ve got something to say, say it. Make your point. Be bold. Put your money where your mouth is. Don’t waste your reader’s time.
You either make her agree or you challenge her.