It s a shame I've been sitting on this book for about two years now. A friend of mine gave me Never Eat Alone , by Keith Ferrazzi a couple years ago (thanks Rey), and it s been on my bookcase ever since. It was resting there not because I didn't want to read it, but because I already had so many others in the pipeline. I finally got around to reading it last month and I definitely recommend it. In very simple terms, Ferrazzi explains why networking is important and how to do it. From how to make call lists to planning dinners to personal branding to goal setting, it s all here. He also maintains a valuable blog .
Inevitably there will be times when you have setbacks or things don t go your way. Maybe you didn't get a job you thought you were sure to get. Maybe you lost a job unexpectedly, didn't win a contract, or lost a major client. Your car always seems to break down right after you've had some other unexpected expense. These kinds of situations immediately place us in crisis. They don t feel good, but sometimes they re what we need in order to grow. The beautiful thing about crises is that they force us to take a step back and reevaluate what s going on in our lives and rediscover what we truly want and need. When we get over that initial shock and feeling of disappointment, we might realize that maybe that job wasn't really the best for us anyway. Maybe, just maybe, that wasn't what you really wanted to spend your life doing. Maybe that friend was holding you back instead of pushing you forward. The way I deal with crises of these sorts is simple: If something doesn't go my way professionally, I try to create a situation that would be more rewarding than the situation originally planned. A while ago, I was offered a job that looked very promising. After I accepted the offer, they pushed the start date back three times, later informing me (via e-mail) that they wanted to bring me on in the near future but I should feel free to explore other options. I was extremely disappointed. I felt disrespected and angry, but decided to make the best of the situation and follow my dream of working internationally. I then flew to Santiago, Chile and had great professional and personal experiences I wouldn't have had otherwise. Later, reflecting back on the original opportunity, I realized that working for a company that avoids a start date three times and then can t pick up the phone to explain the situation is probably not where I need to spend my time. Use setbacks as an opportunity to put your goals in order and act on them. In the moment, it s difficult to look at a setback as temporary, but they are. They happen to everybody. It s how you respond to them that will determine how they affect you.
“The formulation of a problem is often more essential than its solution, which may be merely a matter of mathematical or experimental skill. To raise new questions, new possibilities, to regard old questions from a new angle, requires creative imagination and marks real advances in science.”
I feel this quote is so appropriate for this image. Today, I spent most of the day up at Seattle University participating and photographing a special class session with the Organizational Systems Renewal (OSR) program. Special guests included Fritjof Capra and Linda Booth Sweeney, forerunners in systems thinking. In participating in class, I’m reminded of the importance of true, non-judgmental inquiry—the kind of genuine curiosity that leads us to think of ways in new ways and uncover hidden perspectives, motivations, opportunities and appreciation.
This may not look like much to you, but for me this is a huge accomplishment. Ever since I was a child I told myself I wasn't creative and that art just isn't my thing. I couldn't color inside the lines and when it came to drawing, I just could never seem to get it right—ever. Well I've decided to at least try. I may never become a world-renowned sketch artist or painter, but for me my goal is to actively learn how to see and apply creativity to increase my ability to engage in inquiry, identify questions, and look for better answers.
To aid in this process, I recently picked up Drawing on the Artist Within by Betty Edwards. She also the author of the acclaimed work, Drawing on the Right side of the Brain. In the first chapter, the reader is asked to draw a face, a hand, and an object as somewhat of a benchmark. Let’s hope these get better. Even if they don't, I'm enjoying at least giving it a shot.