I just read this quote from Pope John Paul II and had to share…
The truth is not always the same as the majority decision.
I wonder if he realised the irony.
Facebook’s days as one of the most popular sites on the internet are numbered. I would say that within 12-18 months Facebook will take the same dark road as MySpace as its popularity declines.
It is easy to see a successful person and believe that they have a gift that we cannot possess. What you don’t see are the years of toil and hard work and sacrifices and failures they have had to endure. You only see the successful tip of the iceberg. The end result. Not all the ugly stuff that came before it.
So when you look at that successful someone, realise that they may not have a gift – just a passion and a lot of hard work.
There is a canteen/coffee shop on the lower level of our office building and I go there sometimes for a soft drink. There is also a Coke machine there as well. As such, I have two choices to buy the same drink (at the same price) – either from the machine or from the shop. I choose the shop every time. Why?
Two small, but important reasons: the first, because of the friendly hello I usually receive from the staff of the shop; and two, because I find the drinks are colder from their fridge than the Coke machine (which is always a good thing). The point?
What small changes can you make in your business or workplace that will make people with a choice choose you?
Unless you specialise in something, most people’s knowledge is sporadic. They know a little about a little. Or, sometimes, a little about a lot (this is how I describe myself). But the important thing is to have a good foundation with the knowledge that you have. Why? Because it is only with well laid foundations that you can build successfully.
You know something. We all know something. Some of what we know, others do not know. So, the real question is, what do you know that others want to know? And how much effort are you willing to go to in order to 1) find out what they want to know, and 2) teach them what they want to know- for profit or otherwise.
You know a lot more than you release. Others know a lot less than you realise. Sure, some people know much more (usually only on one particular topic), but they are the exceptions to the rule. Learn from them, make their knowledge your own, and then pass on that knowledge to others less knowledgeable.
This is your leverage. Use it.
If you are going to do something, then do it to the best of your ability. If you are going to start a business, give your everything. Go big. Think big. Why not? You are going to be doing it anyway, so why not do it better and/or bigger?
Enjoy it. Bathe in it. Smother yourself with your plan/idea/whatever.
You may find that the returns are better than you ever hoped for.
Think about the last piece of work you completed for your employer. Did you find reward in the fact that you completed it? Or were you happy just to be done with it?
Doing something that you love means that you will feel great satisfaction in its completion. If you are just happy for a job or task to be over with then you are not truly happy with what you are doing. No reward is better than that feeling you get when you complete something that means the world to you. Find a job that will give you that.
Do people where you work understand you? If not then it may be a good idea to look for a work place which does.
Why waste your time with a company that does not know who you are, what makes you tick, or does not understand your aspirations or goals. If you are in this position then they aren’t “getting you.”
Start looking for a company that would better suit your needs and your goals. Working for a company that isn’t in sync with your lifestyle and goals is like trying to ride a bicycle with no seat – you are always on your toes.
I wrote a quick post earlier in the week about a book I purchased called Rework
If I was restricted to one word to describe Rework I would use ‘indispensable’. It was a shot of ice cold water on a steaming hot day. Hats off to Jason Fried and David Heinemeier (from 37signals) for writing such a book and for having the moxie to publish it. It is simple yet exceptional. Blunt yet important.
Each chapter of the book delivers a punch to “the norm” and gives you reason to believe that we all just keep perpetuating the same old mistakes that may have been the way business was done in the twentieth century but is not something you want to emulate in the twenty-first century.
The strongest message I got from this book was:
Don’t over think or create complicated plans – just do. Start whatever it is you are working on and get it out there. You can fix it up as you go. Which goes hand-in-hand with one of my favourite quotes: “Let go of perfection, and just do”.
The best thing about this book is that it has been written from pure experience. The authors have lived and are living what’s in the book. They are, in deed, living proof of what they are espousing.
If you are thinking about starting a business (even a one-man outfit at home), just about to start a business, or already running a business, this book is a must-read.