Monday, November 28, 2011

Passion Party #412 - No Experience Necessary

I am looking to hire a new assistant
and the biggest question in my mind is
whether or not they need to have experience in my business.

Steven Wright says, "Experience is something you don't get until after you need it."

The idea of training someone does not appeal to me,
nor does the idea of hiring someone
who knows the business and has already created their own bad habits.

Perhaps knowledge, motivation and the capacity to make decisions and think outside the box
are more important qualities than experience.
The ability to reflect -
and learn from experience -
this is more important than having experience.

Monday, November 21, 2011

Passion Party #411 - Knocking Down Goals

Two weeks ago I set three specific goals
to get done in the next 90 days.
Not huge, but "out of my comfort zone" goals.
Three goals that, left to my own devices,
I would postpone and
re-prioritize.
Certainty there are other (easier) things that are more important.
As a matter of fact, as soon as I set those goals
Life immediately gave me other things to do:
a new assistant needed to be hired,
family issues needed to be addressed,
my headset at work broke,
etc...

Goals are meant to be knocked down.
Dreams are something you strive for.
If I don't get these three goals done in 90 days
then they are just a dream, a "what if...".

And if I do get them done,
if I stay accountable and knock them down quickly
then I can move on
to the next goal on my way to my dream.

I love the thought that
completing each goal
gets me closer to my ideal life,
to living my dream.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Passion Party #410 - Integrity

Everyone believes that integrity is important
but how many people know what it means?
It has become a buzz word,
like "artisan pizza" or "organic food".
Or perhaps it is a new line of automobiles?

Integrity involves consistency
It is what you do when no one is looking,
when your words match your activity:
Consistency of actions
Consistency of values
Consistency of methods
Consistency of principles
Consistency of expectations
Consistency of outcomes

At the same time it is important to align your beliefs with your integrity.
Integrity does not reflect a certain moral code.
Using the above definition,
McDonalds has incredible integrity.
So does the Phillip Morris Corp.
One could be a bigot and still have integrity.

For me, having a strong moral compass
is more important than integrity.

Monday, November 14, 2011

Passion Party #409 - Accountability

The first step
is to be willing to accept responsibility.
The next step
is to feel an obligation to accept responsibility.
"The traffic was bad"
"I drank too much last night"
"That guy is a jerk"
"I thought you were taking care if that"
These excuses do not cut it in the world of accountability.

If my job is, first and foremost,
to create a product
that creates advocates
who want to continue to use my services
then I must stay accountable to that goal and ideal.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Passion Party #408 - A Life Filled With Joy

Imagine a life
with passionate love
a place surrounded by beauty
a room filled with people that care about you
a day spent in creative pursuits
a night filled with heavenly sounds

And tomorrow you wake up
with a passion for life
in a place of beauty
ready to take on the day
with a new sense of purpose.
You are ready to love
and to be loved.

Imagine that.

Monday, November 7, 2011

Passion Party #407 - Take A Break

The days are long
filled with meetings, phone calls, working on files
monitoring progress or lack thereof
pushing pushing pushing
because you know
(or you think you know)
that if you don't push
it just won't get done on time.

But what are you pushing for?
Is it to fill your bank account or
to maintain a lifestyle?

Time to get off the treadmill
take a step to the side
look out the window
walk out into the blue day.

Let go of control
Work will continue without you
See what happens
when you just put one foot
in front of another.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Passion Party #406 - Rich Vs. Poor (Money, Part 17)

There is a lot of talk about financial inequality
People out of work protesting on Wall Street
Others marching on Billionaire's mansions to voice discontent.

I understand the resentment people feel about those that succeed in getting
an inordinate amount of money.

But think of this:
Would you rather that Bill Gates use his money to create a foundation to help cure disease in the world and to help make America's schools world-class again, or that he give it to our government to squander by committee as they see fit?

As Mae West once said, "I've been rich and I've been poor. Believe me, rich is better."

I can vouch for this, from personal experience.
It all starts from getting out of "poverty consciousness"
and into action.

"The best thing you can do to help the poor
is not be one of them." - Joe Stumpf

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Passion Party #405 - Turning

It is a tender time
A time of change
One son off to college
to experience the life of a classical musician
One son about to be a father
A new soul entering the world
and I am about to be a grandfather...

Uncharted territory--
the wonder of life
is growing older
and getting to see what happens
when you become the adult
you always looked up to.

The days get shorter
everything moves faster
and time for prayer and reflection
becomes more valuable.