Last week, I had the tremendous opportunity to participate in Ignite Phoenix, an exceptionally fun, creative and energizing event, led by a fantastic team of volunteers here in Arizona. The Ignite concept is explained from the Ignite.OReilly site:
What Is Ignite?
If you had five minutes on stage what would you say? What if you
only got 20 slides and they rotated automatically after 15 seconds?
Around the world geeks have been putting together Ignite nights to show
their answers.
Ignite was started in Seattle in 2006 by Brady Forrest and Bre
Pettis. Since then 100s of 5 minute talks have been given across the
world. There are thriving Ignite communities in Seattle, Portland,
Paris, and NYC.
My buddy Jeff Moriarty, one of the organizers of the event, captures the vibe in the room particularly well in this photo by Sheila Dee. It was one of the most open, positive and welcoming groups I have ever presented to.
My 5-minute topic was The Upside of Fear, my answer to the doom and gloom we are all living with today. Check out my presentation here, and please view the other 17 presentations on Blip TV.
I told Jeff that the event reminded me of a free, bootstrapped TED conference where local talent shared their passions with their peers. If you have the opportunity to attend or present at an Ignite in your local area, I highly recommend it. If you don't see one in your city, start one!
As I said in my talk, in times of fear, we connect. It doesn't get much better than this.
See more photos from the event on Flickr, tag IgnitePhx
I am happy to support my good friend Sophfronia Scott today, in the launch of her book Doing Business by the Book. Sophfronia really helped me to organize my thoughts as I was writing my book. She is an extremely smart (Harvard grad!) down-to-earth person (you can trust her), and has spent a lot of years helping aspiring writers become published writers.
Check out her launch page here -- you can get a bunch of free stuff in addition to the book.
Congratulations on making it happen Sophfronia, I KNOW how much work it is to finish a book!
The few of you who have known me since my early twenties know that I have a bit of a rebel spirit.
At nineteen, I had plans to change the world, redistribute wealth and solve poverty. You know, typical youthful enthusiasm.
Then, after spending a few years studying and living in South America, I saw that some problems were deep and systemic. Entrenched. Long-term. Hard to solve.
So I got a bit discouraged.
Until I found a way to marry my intense desire to solve social problems with a small group of people who needed help. In the form of young teenagers in San Francisco who were desperate for a bit of mentoring and love from a stable adult. I taught martial arts to these youth, and saw amazing, awe-inspiring things. Deep, systemic changes that altered the entire course of their lives. And the lives of those around them.
Then I realized that massive change happens one person at a time.
That is how we will all move out of our current, collective economic rut.
During the week of March 9-13, we will do everything in our power to get everyone referring leads to small businesses. A whole bunch of small business experts, including me, will share ideas, tools, information and resources to get you started. Look at the educational events happening during the week here.
You may think I am being a bit melodramatic about how important this is. I am actually dead serious.
Your referral might hit someone's business right when they are considering shutting their doors. They may be behind on their mortgage. They may stay up nights worrying about paying the bills. This impacts personal health, families, relationships and communities. We all get scared, and collectively panic.
We have to stop.
Deep, systemic change will start with us, one referral at a time.
I spent many years speaking to groups across the country, and even
teaching presentation skills to hundreds of salespeople and engineers.
It
was always fascinating to me since it combined so many favorite
subjects: motivation, communication, fear, physical movement, design
and creativity.
In today's podcast with Nick Morgan, I took my learning to a whole new level. His new book, Trust Me: Four Steps to Authenticity and Charismaintegrates a lot of new research about the brain to help speakers become truly masterful. We talk about:
Why you do need to practice to appear spontaneous
How your brain drives your body language which can make you lose credibility (or gain it) before you even open your mouth
The specific steps to build great trust and credibility with your audience
Why
the "Tell em what you are going to tell em, tell em, tell em what you
told em" presentation structure that has been the standard for years is
totally wrong. (I gulped a bit on that one, since I used to teach this)
How to structure the content of your presentation for maximum impact
Where to start if you are considering professional speaking as part of your business model or marketing strategy
In today's economic climate, I am not surprised that there is HUGE interest in figuring out how to set up a backup plan or safety net in case your job or business goes away.
At the same time, I find that clients, blog readers, and the working population in general is not quite sure how to go about doing it, despite a lot of information available. As someone recently told me, that could be part of the problem -- there are so many options, it may be overwhelming.
I really want to spend some time working on this problem, so would appreciate it very much if you would answer one question here: Click Here to take survey
Thanks in advance for your help -- I will share the results with you in a few days.
I have recently started to read blogger and Forbes columnistSramana Mitra. She has a really fascinating perspective as the founder of three start-up companies, and adviser to hundreds of others.
She wrote the book Entrepreneur Journeys Volume 1 (I guess that means there will be more volumes coming!) which I haven't seen yet, but look forward to reading.
In the next few weeks, she is offering some free strategy sessions which I encourage any of you in the high-tech start-up arena to attend.
Background and Registration Information
Early stage entrepreneurs generally cannot afford a
top strategy consultant to help solve problems on product strategy,
channel options, positioning, financing, etc. So, as part of her
effort to rejuvenate the economy through promoting
entrepreneurship, serial entrepreneur and strategy consultant Sramana
Mitra will be hosting some free online Strategy Roundtables with Dimdim--the
open source web conferencing platform. If you think some of your
readers might be interested, please let them know about these events on:
During each 60-minute session, entrepreneurs are
invited to pitch Sramana their ideas in a 3-minute presentation. She
will review the material in real-time and provide feedback on each
pitch, as well as address specific strategy questions from the
entrepreneur. Afterwards, she will take questions about strategy from
other participants. The session is open to 1,000 people, but only the
first five to sign up for each session will have the opportunity to
pitch Sramana and discuss their business. The rest of the attendees
can listen, and learn from the interaction. More often than not, the
same questions are on many minds, so listening to the roundtable
discussions is always a good learning experience. For more information
and to register, click here.
I am getting excited about the "open source career coaching" possibilities, as my friend John Fritz recently called the "Jon the ballplayer" series.
So here is a juicy one for your input. I am withholding my opinion on this first (for you Tom ;) but will share my view once I read yours.
Says Gentle Reader "Dave":
I imagine I'm not the only one in this situation.
I want to be an independent coach and also run my own projects.
I
already have a couple of clients and several more leads and would like
to quit my day job now to make room for growing that business.
My wife is going to try to change employers (she is a teacher) and
the prospect of neither of us being in a stable job is too much, so she
wants me to keep the day job.
So there's the tension. I want to quit now. She is afraid that that would be too much stress and instability.
We have enough money to easily cover a year's worth of expenses,
I've proven the ability to get clients, and my day job (where I work
with my uncle) is about to shift me into a new role which would be a
real problem if I abandoned it shortly thereafter.
I feel confident that it would be best to make the move sooner rather
than later, but my wife sees that as inconsistent with supporting her
and mitigating the risk of her job search which she rightly feels that I owe her at this point.
I
have failed at an attempt like this in the past which led to her
supporting us for several months. We both agree that this is different,
however, and that what I have learned has changed things. We are 24 and
25 years old.
I would be interested in your thoughts on the situation if it wouldn't be too much trouble. Thank you for your time.
After I asked if I could post his question, he clarified here:
I want to make sure my wife's concerns are represented fairly, and of
course, my email slants toward my side a bit. So, forgive me for adding
to the length here, but I want to be considerate of her viewpoint.
She is supportive and cautiously optimistic about my new venture,
but she feels like as though I ought to be willing to support her as
she did for me during the previous attempt. I am willing--I see that as
entirely consistent with my desire to do my own thing, supporting her
that way.
She's big on the idea of at least one of us having a "steady job,"
and she also wonders what other people will think if I go trying to be
independent again despite the previous failure.
You don't
necessarily need to include all of this, of course, but for us to get
the most value out of the exercise, I want to make sure I'm presenting
as close to the full picture as possible.
In other words, everything we got comfortable with is being blown to bits. Consider these statements which may have seemed very reasonable a short while ago:
I have been chipping away at the "jobs are stable" myth for quite awhile now. And suddenly, I don't feel like a heretic, since reality is proving this to be the case. We are all self-employed, no matter our employment status, and the sooner we realize this, the better off we will be.
But despite knowing that there is some real good that can come from our individual and collective discomfort, while you are going through it, it can feel pretty lonely.
This is what I picked up on when I received the first email from Jon, the 23 year-old employee who had the opportunity to quit his job and go play ball in Germany. He was concerned if he was making the right move, he didn't want to disappoint his parents, and he didn't want to do anything foolish that would jeopardize everything he had built in his life so far.
The outpouring of advice and support for him was really remarkable. And perhaps more profound, in my opinion, was that it also impacted his parents. When they realized that they were not alone in providing career advice to their son, and when they saw that dozens of people all over the world were concerned for his happiness and success, they let go of some of their fear.
Jon set a wonderful example of reaching out for support in a time of uncertainty.
Intellectually, especially if you have lived on the earth for a few decades, you know that any challenge or difficulty or discomfort usually brings positive learning and growth. You may have your own dog-eared copy of my favorite book The Prophet by Khalil Gibran:
On Pain
And a woman spoke, saying "Tell us of Pain."
And he said:
Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding.
Even as the stone of the fruit must break, that its heart may stand in the sun, so must you know pain.
And could you keep your heart in wonder at the daily miracles of your life, your pain would not seem less wondrous than your joy;
And you would accept the seasons of your heart, even as you have always accepted the seasons that pass over your fields.
And you would watch with serenity through the winters of your grief..."
The key to making it through the awful, scary parts of life is to get someone to stand by you.
The process is not complicated:
If you feel the weight of a challenge (financial, personal, health-related), find someone safe and confide in him (or her). Let him know what is going on, and share any fears or anxieties that you have boxed inside. Hearing yourself talk about your challenge can give you a different perspective. And receiving sympathy and support from someone you trust will go a long way to lesson the anxiety you may be feeling. If you stay stuck in your own head, the tendency is to completely lose reason and perspective.
Look to others who have gone through similar situations and come out thriving. It seems the media is on a bit of a shark feeding frenzy of bad news lately. There is a huge blast of "look how many poor schmucks got laid off today!" on every media platform. And this can make all of us feel on edge. To combat this, limit your news, and follow stories and individuals who have lived through really difficult economic and personal challenges and came out swinging. Yes, times are kind of rough at the moment. But it doesn't mean we need to curl up in a ball and act defeated.
Stand by someone else. When I have my down moments, one thing that always makes me feel better is to do something that will help someone else. Often, this is writing a blog post that addresses a common concern. Sometimes it is connecting two people who I know will benefit from each others expertise or service. Sometimes it is just taking an extra moment to really listen to someone who is in my life, like my son's preschool teacher, or the pharmacist at my local grocery store. By doing so, I have learned that my pharmacist is a poet, and my son's preschool teacher wants to write a book.
Don't try to do everything yourself. Do you have great ideas, but are a bit challenged getting them off the ground? Now is an excellent time to look in your extended circle for joint venture partners. I am working with my good buddy and fellow business coach Michele Woodward on a marketing program for our tribe of Martha Beck coaches. I have forgotten how fun it is to work with someone else, especially someone like Michele who is open, fun and creative. By working together, we are delivering a better program, more quickly, than if either of us had done it ourselves.
Get connected with those outside of your day-to-day circle. I realize that not everyone is a social media weenie like me, but if you are open to new things, experiment with online communities like Twitter and Facebook and LinkedIn. It may make you feel much more optimistic about employment and work opportunities if you realize that you don't have to meet with employers or clients in person to make a good living. I will probably never meet most of my clients face to face, but through the wonder of technology, we find each other to our mutual benefit.
I received this video clip from my friend Rafe Eric Biggs.
We met about ten years ago, when we were both leadership coaches in the
Bay Area. He was the picture of perfect health. And then:
In 2004 I had a life altering experience. While traveling on spiritual
retreat in India, I fell from a building and broke my neck. In an
instant, I became a quadriplegic, paralyzed from the chest down. In
that single moment, my life was transformed from "having it all" (a
successful leadership coaching practice, a home in Sausalito, a
beautiful girlfriend, and a healthy body) to "losing everything" - or
so it seemed. I have spent the last several years learning how
to take tragedy and transform it into a positive extraordinary
experience.
Your own challenge may not be as life altering as Eric's. But you can get a feel for his resilience and heart by taking a moment to watch this video clip.
Thanks for standing by me. I will do the same for you.
In any economic climate, there is always a silver lining for entrepreneurs. The one I have been mining lately is a chance for some good media exposure as a way to support and strengthen my business, especially in light of the upcoming release of Escape from Cubicle Nation.
My buddy Dave Atkins has had a good month for press as well. I think he has secured the most positive, and big-time media for any job-seeker anywhere. See his interview on ABC News, and recent coverage in the Christian Science Monitor. Dave was laid off and is looking for work, and is reaching out to the media with the hope that it won't just help in his own job search, but will help other job seekers as well. Dave is great, and you are crazy not to hire him, just in case you need a really smart technical guy who also writes well. (shameless plug, I know!)
So how do you start to get media exposure?
Have a focus, and an opinion. I have to agree with Seth that the quickest way to get any idea to spread is to be remarkable. Sometimes I feel like I bore you to tears with my urging to choose a niche, but in the case of press coverage, it is essential. I would much rather be known as "the Escape from Cubicle Nation Lady" (someone actually addressed an email to me like that) rather than "Pamela Slim, general career coach who can help with any sort of work-related topic." Blech, boring, and bland as oatmeal, don't you agree?
Be a resource to reporters. Too often, entrepreneurs become obsessed with getting their company name in print. Instead, your focus should be to act as an exceptionally helpful resource to journalists. I have worked behind the scenes for years with some reporters before getting in print myself. If you are constantly trying to get yourself in the press, you will be viewed as a self-indulgent bore, to put it kindly. :)
React to press inquiries with lightening speed, and with relevant information. Journalists are always on deadline, so the quicker you get back to them, the more likely you will be A) viewed as a resource and B) potentially featured in a story. The relevant information is hugely important, as they will be tremendously annoyed if you either send too little or too much information, or (shudder) pitch them totally off-topic when they ask for specific information.
Be a resource to your circle of clients and partners. One of the best moves I have made is to join Help a Reporter Out (HARO), a three-times-a-day listing of press queries run by the indefatigable Peter Shankman. I scour it religiously each time it hits my email box, respond to queries that relate to my expertise right away, and forward on those that fit friends and colleagues as well. Some of my friends and clients have gotten press as a result which is a totally fantastic thing. A rising tide floats all boats, and this definitely applies to your network. Joan Stewart of The Publicity Hound also has good tips.
Blog about your press, where relevant to your readers. I remember the first time I was contacted by the PR person for the Wall Street Journal, wanting me to blog on a topic in the publication. I chuckled aloud at the flip in traditional media -- how the publications we have all dreamed of appearing in, like the WSJ, now like to get attention from scrappy bloggers like me. I really do think we all need each other -- I don't see social media totally overtaking mainstream media any day soon, nor do I think it should. I would love it if we could take best practices from both sides and help each other. And there is nothing like mainstream press to make it easy for your relatives to understand what you do. I will never forget the day that Seth said something exceptionally kind about me in his blog. But have you tried lately to explain to a grandparent who Seth Godin is? "Um, Grandma, he is this total marketing genius, thought-leader, viral idea-spreader guy who is also a great human being ... " It is much easier to say "Grandma, you know all that time I spend in front of my computer? BusinessWeek noticed -- here , read the article!"
Set up a system to make it easy to respond to press queries. I have an email template that includes a brief bio, a link to my press page, and contact information. That way when I see a specific query, I don't have to type in all that new information each time. In the lucky case that you are asked to provide a photo, have a good one handy on your desktop to send to reporters (I recommend both a high resolution image for print and a low resolution image for online).
Always respond to queries exactly as asked. If you see a general query which asks you to include a specific email header, do that. If not, it will probably mean that your response will not be seen, since the journalist may have email filters to sort queries. Peter Shankman has very specific guidelines for HARO, and will publicly "out" someone who flagrantly violates them. This would be the equivalent of being a teenager and being paraded in front of your entire high school in your underwear. A professional nightmare come true. So don't do it -- pitch well, pitch focused, and use good judgment.
Blog. All of this press coverage has come without the help of a public relations person, and 95% of it has come to me because I blog. If you have something to say, start to say it. It can't hurt!
Mainstream press can be a tremendous asset if you are demonstrating your expertise to new clients, pitching speaking engagements, or trying to land a book deal. When linked to your larger marketing strategy, it is a great way to bring people to your blog or website. In the big picture, I look at it this way: if you care deeply about the purpose of your business, you want to get the message out to as many people as you can. So think big and pitch wisely. I can't wait to see you in print soon.
Last week, I published a question (see post here) from a 23-year old reader (whom I called "Gentle Reader" at first, and who has since shared that his name is Jon) who was trying to decide whether to give up his (loathed) financial services job to spend the summer playing professional baseball in Germany.
Although I figured a few people would weigh in with advice, I was unprepared for the response. Over 60 comments came in, which is no small beans for this blog. The advice was about 59.5 for going to Germany, and .5 for being careful about the decision.
Tom Volkar of Delightful Work thought I should not have shared my opinion in the post, because I could have skewed the results. I can see his point, but know my readers well enough to trust that they will not agree with me if they think I am wrong.
There was some great advice like:
Rae Darby:
Gentle Reader
If you're going to do The Big OE (Overseas Experience) you might want to add some planning into the serendipity.
It can be very easy to get lost in the Now of being part of a new team (new to you) and lose the plot overall.
Who's on your list of 'love to meet' who ISN'T involved in baseball.
Who belongs to the world you're making for yourself after this
adventure.
Which of your innate core skills will you be consciously honing
through this experience? Basic personality stuff such as encouraging
others, for example. Things that use those parts of you that you feel
are withering in your present job.
Where will you go to grow yourself? What can you do when you've escaped the confines of your present local expectations of you?
Practice and playing ball and meshing with the team is only a little
part of the day, surely? You can either be a 'typical' - or you can
play the part while you grow yourself for tackling your further-beyond
intentions.
PS There is absolutely no reason why you need to go home. Hone your
imagination and find ways to stay as a welcome ex-pat somewhere/s in
the EU. It seems to be growing every year.
PPS - before you leave your present job - consciously collect your
valuables. The skills and disciplines and information sets that are
transportable anywhere. They might be useful later.
Go, but realize that your parents are most likely concerned about your
well-being and you should be too. Not only is your job at risk right
now (no matter what you do because all our jobs are at risk), but
you're not going to have any kind of financial stability unless you
make it happen for it yourself. I don't either and I'm much older than
you. So go, definitely go. But plan. Make this not just a "heart" thing
but a "head" thing too. Make this part of your plan for your life, not
just a detour. If you want to write, this is the perfect opportunity
for you to write about an amazing life experience AND see if you have
the discipline to write about it every day while you're doing it. If
you're going to go into an occupation like writing, you're going to
need the discipline (and it's HARD). This is a chance for you to
experience, plan, and make an unpopular decision that you know is right
for you - because as many have already said, your parents probably
aren't going to back you up on this one no matter what argument you
give them. I have a good friend who decided to go into a very
competitive creative field who's parents didn't support her and now,
guess who's most impressed with her kick-ass work? Dad. Most parents
are like that - they think they're protecting you. Go, definitely go,
just be smart about it and realize that this will be work, just like
your job now is work - it's all work and it's all hard. But some work
is more rewarding than other work and when you find your thing, you
gotta grab it! Good luck!
And one of the few more cautious voices, Art:
I'm going to rain on this parade of joy....
If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. (Remind anyone of a current fiscal crisis?)
Mom and dad may just be grumps who don't want their boy to have any
fun. Or maybe they have a different message that this young man does
not want to hear, and is not telling us.
Perhaps they see a young man that could have done well in college,
IF he'd applied himself. Maybe they see a young man who really didn't
want to find a job, but did, and now isn't putting forth much effort,
though he is being paid for it. (He admits to a 20% commitment - that
is about 1 hour of worth per day).
I'd offer him TWO pieces of advice -
1) Before you go, decide: Is it really to play ball, or is it to escape
cubicle hell? It's only for a summer, so it's no big loss if you spend
most of it on the bench and are miserable because you don't speak the
language and everyone treats you like an outsider.
2) Admit the truth: you've already decided to go - you are just
shopping for confirmation that its OK to cut and run. So make sure you
realize this is just another Disneyland vacation, not the reality of
making a living. While you are gone, REALLY decide what you are going
to be when you become an adult. How can you support yourself AND give
fair value to an employer AND be happy? How will you assure your
children get the advantage of a college education - as you did?
Because you haven't found your sweet spot in REALITY yet.
You AREA at the age to go do crazy stuff like this. Yes, it can look good on your resume.
But you are also old enough to start making real FORWARD LOOKING
decisions and plans, not just run away from what makes you unhappy.
Enjoy the vacation, but realize what it is - escape from job mistake
#1 (or #2? or #3? we don't really know from this one-sided picture, do
we?).
See the comments to get the full picture -- basically, a whole crew of people cheering for Jon to follow his heart's desire.
I got quite a few personal emails, one which I forwarded to Jon from a
recruiter in Washington, D.C. She was extremely supportive of his
decision, and even offered to help him get a job when he returned. As
fate would have it, Jon currently lives in D.C. Coincidence?
Jon responded to all the advice this way:
Hey Guys,
First of all, thanks to everyone for all the support. Like some
people noted, I already knew what choice I should make before I reached
out to Pam. Posting this on “Escape From Cubical Nation” made it a
pretty unfair debate anyway. If I really wanted to see the other side
of this argument I could post the same thing on a forbes.com message
board, but there’s no need for that. I was really just looking to hear
some support backed by reason and experience. When I brought this up to
my friends, all of whom close to my age, most initially thought I was
crazy (which is partly true) but after thinking about it for a second
or two most agreed this was the opportunity of a lifetime. So much so
that of about the 20 or so people I asked, 100% were completely behind
the idea, and the few that made a effort to point out some negatives
did so with a hint of jealousy. The problem I’ve had internally was
when I asked my parents, who have always been my voice of reason, they
weren’t too keen on the idea. They didn’t completely reject it, but
gave more of the “I’m not mad, I’m disappointed” routine… which
everyone knows is the hardest to cope with. This was why I was looking
for some advice from people like yourselves, who could share their
actual experiences rather than just my friend’s ramblings (ex. “Dude I
heard, the bars in Germany are sick.”)
I have never been one to seek people’s approval on the choices I
make, but this one seemed different. Within my immediate circle of
friends, I have always been one of the most responsible when it came to
major decisions and life events, and felt I was always one step ahead
of the curve. I got into a good college, concentrated on keeping my
grades up, switched majors to make sure I could get a high paying job,
then landed a good job before I even graduated. Most of my peers are
just now starting to get to where I am at with their careers. In one
light, it felt like I might be throwing it all away by leaving now… but
then again, in another, brighter light, everything everyone has been
saying here holds true, and I realize that this is a once in a lifetime
opportunity that I would be stupid to pass up. My main arguments, most
of which seem to have been covered in people’s posts were that:
- I didn’t take any sort of “find yourself” trip after school, even
though I originally planed to, due to the job I had sign on for.
- I put a lot of time and effort into finding this opportunity, and
after a few years of pondering, I still want to go. (I've wanted to do
this since I decided not to play baseball in college in order to go to
a better school)
- I already don’t like this job and need a reason to leave.
- I’ve always loved baseball, and this could be my last chance to play at this high a level.
All of my friends hate the fact that they’re working already, and I
seem to be the only one doing something about it. Once again, I
appreciate all of support and the context everyone has put behind their
posts, it really helped me to solidify my choice.
I registered a blog today http://fratology.wordpress.com/ and will start
updating it asap. The name fratology stems from a website url I
registered to start up a frat guy humor e-magazine – which, now that I
think of it, this is actually the first action I've taken on the idea.
Check back often for any updates if you’re interested in my story. As
of now, I’m waiting to hear back from the team to find out the exact
financial package they can offer me, which should come later this week.
I’m glad there has been interest in my case, since I had previously
thought about making a blog to document this trip. I also thought to
possibly getting some sort of media attention to create a story out of
it to jump start a writing or journalism career, but I’ve scoured the
internet for ways to submit article ideas to newspapers or magazines
and had no luck. If anyone knows of ways to do this, my spam buster
email address is collegewhat@gmail.com any help is greatly appreciated.
Anyway, thanks again and be sure to check out the blog.
But my favorite reply came from Jon's mom Valerie, who must have heard about the discussion from Jon:
"I am overwhelmed by the response and support Jon has received in his quest for adventure.
As a parent, of course, I only want him to be happy. If his life is complete -- my life is more complete. I want him to be financially secure, have a good career, and ultimately be successful. That is my job as his life coach. Jon was always a good, conscientious student. He cared about his grades - I didn't have to care for him.
My parents were immigrants but they achieved more financial stability than my american friends. They worked harder. I am programmed to work hard and earn what you make. I was upset to read that Jon only put in 20% effort at his job. That's not like him. I don't want him to carry that to his next job. I ultimately feel responsible because I was the one who talked him into taking this job. But I thought I was doing the right thing. He had the chance to interview for a Hedge fund that would have given him more job stability and financial success. Even with that I couldn't see him taking the job because l. it was 2 miles from home 2. he would work nights and possibly weekends to start 3. he would still live at home. I didn't see that as a life for him while he was young- contrary to what my sister thought. I know they think I made a mistake to tell him to take THE ADVENTURE. So I carry the mother's guilt that my decision didn't work out.................
All the posts were positive to go which I do understand but I did appreciate those that brought out the reality of the present financial crises. I told Jon if it was any other time I would be thrilled that he had the opportunity - knowing that finding another job would not be a problem. That is not the case now. Every morning my husband gives me the unemployment count and that doesn't help. Of course my husband is self employed and has been since he was 21 years old. He's lived on his own since he was 17 so he is also so proud of Jon's accomplishments and his success. He wants Jon to have job stability. My husband still does not know that Jon is considering this offer -- I told him he has to call his father himself when he makes the choice. I know he will be worried about his future when he returns from Germany.
I am proud that he is not making this decision irrationally. That he has taken the time and effort to get opinions. If he wants to go I will support his decision but I will also have to add that he should complete his present job at 110%. To leave the job and wow them. Give it the same energy he would a job he wants. He has to be realistic about his return. There is no guarantee he will find his dream job right away. He has to understand that he will have to get experience and put in 110% - sometimes even 100 is not enough to stand out and be noticed. Whatever the job is - he should bring forth creative ideas for change -- Am I wrong? Can any job became a challenge? That's another topic. Sorry for the length of this reply. But I know he will make the right choice. I know he will make it work just by the way he approached his decision.
Just like one person said there might be days in Germany that are not the greatest. Sitting on the bench...losing a game because of an error..culture difference..money..etc. But I always say when you are on vacation you say you are having a good time. When you're home a week you remember it as a great time. When you talk about it a year later it was the greatest vacation you ever had. I'm sure that will be his experience. It gets better as you get older.
Thank you for taking the time and interest in his quest. He's a very responsible son and I'm sure he will make the right decision and it will work......I also have sleepness night worrying about him...... "
I do not believe that you just do what you love and the money will follow. There is a lot involved in making the money follow, like having a great business model and robust marketing activities and hard work and patience and luck and supportive friends and mentors.
I am much more convinced of the fact that if you practice doing what you love, you are much more likely to discover what to do that you love, or at least like, which also pays the bills. For years, I have had this gut feeling, which is why I encourage people who feel unsure of what to do in their career to wander around museums or spend time watching movies they like.
When I saw this TED talk by Bill Strickland, the awe-inspiring man who started the gorgeous and inspiring Manchester Craftsmen's Guild, and authored Make the Impossible Possible, it all made sense. His path to greatness and contribution started by picking up a hunk of clay. It was the fire of creativity, ignited in the kiln, that inspired him to find his life's work. It wasn't a straight line from "I love making pottery" to "I want to become a potter." See his complete talk here: (link to website here)
I think the wonderful, smart, dear sweet young men of the Pursue the Passion project have another wildly important lesson for young Jon: don't just explore something that excites you, share what you have learned from others so they can benefit from your learning. This simple tactic led a group of 4 guys to criss-cross the country interviewing passionate people, and ultimately led to sponsorship by Jobing.com, and eventually fruitful and viable work.
Jon shared that he has started a blog which I will encourage him to keep up if and when he heads to Germany. I can't wait to hear what happens next.
Thank you Valerie, for being brave enough to post very honest comments about your apprehensions about your son's career choices. As a Mom, I totally and completely understand your desire to play a supportive and active role in your son's life, as well as guide him toward good decisions. Parenting is never easy, and it never ends. My Mom tells me she still stays up some nights worrying about me and my siblings, and we are now in our 40s and 50s. That is what you call love. :)
