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.
My first week in Seattle has come to a close. With class, homework, and work, it was a very full week. However, it’s good to be back in my element at work. I’m enjoying being creative again. At BGI (from the perspective of employee), there is a LOT to do, but I welcome the challenge. Regardless of the amount of work, it’s great to belong to an organization whose purpose is to make the world a better place.
I saw my first bulesque show at The Can Can. My friend Laura, who I haven’t seen in several years, has been living in Seattle for the past few years and introduced me to the place. I enjoyed the creative and laid back atmosphere, the show was good, and the food was amazing. She is also an amazing artist and was involved in an open house at Inscape on Airport Blvd. South.
Lastly, I finished up the week volunteering with Treehouse For Kids with the Southwestern Alumni Assocation of the Pacific Northwest. Southwestern University was representing yesterday from 10:00 a.m. PST to 2:00 p.m. PST. I’ll follow up with more of what Treehouse For Kids does in an upcoming post, but to put it succintly, they run a store in which foster children can shop for clothes, toys, accessories, and school supplies for free. It was an honor to be involved and I’m thankful they let me join them in their work.
Stuff, Stuff, Stuff. We love stuff. I didn’t realize just how much stuff I’ve acquired until I started moving. I found all kinds of stuff that was just that—stuff. Not important stuff, but just stuff taking up space. I was finding it difficult to part with a lot of it. Not because it was important, but because it brought back so many memories. The following videos helped me get over that and get rid of all the unnecessary things that were holding me back.