I'm reading Seth Godin's "The Icarus Deception" and came across this passage. It really spoke to me because we are (or no someone) who is waiting to get "picked." Do that person a favor and tell the to "Pick yourself"
Find a cliff. Step off that cliff. Spread your wings. Fly towards the sun.
I've become a huge fan of Seth Godin. I read his blog posts week in and week out. Many of his posts are inspirational as he has a gifted way to lightly tap his readers on the shoulder and say: "you can do better", "don't be a coward", "you have great ideas." See a link to Seth's Blog at the bottom.
So I was reading his blog which I interpreted as a reminder to:
1. Whatever you want to call what you do (your work, your art, craft, etc.) It should motivate you intrinsically.
2. Try not to worry too much about end-users to the point where you are too afraid to do anything.
3. Not associate being bold with being brash or short-sighted, but literally (and figuratively) standing out from your expectations and those of others.
He ended his post with:
"It turns out that I don't just write for you. I also write to remind
myself of what I'm hoping to become as well...Yes, this is work worth doing. Yes, being out on a limb is
exactly where I want to be....That's where we're needed... out on a limb."
Are you working, creating/making art just for you...or someone else? Are you functioning in your "safe zone" content (very different from being happy)? Are you sitting in a cubicle or facing a beautiful cliff? Will you take a step off and fly or turn away in fear?
Know that when you spread your wings and fly towards the sun. Your wings will not burn and disappear like Icarus' did. In fact, you will shine brightest ironically by creating your own eclipse.
If you haven't heard of Newark's champion mayor, google him and read some articles. Then YouTube him and watch some of the speeches he's made as an activist, a councilman and as the mayor of what used to be one of country's most dangerous and dismal cities.
My post isn't about him though, but about his mother.
While reading the piece titled "Local Hero: Cory Booker", Booker offers the writer, and us as readers an intimate look into the inspirations who have helped him along the many paths life has laid in front of him. Booker could currently be making 6 figures as a hot shot lawyer, instead he began his career as Newark councilman living in an apartment with no heat or hot water. He did this under his own volition. Now being a councilman may not be the most glorious positions in a city office, but, he certainly didn't have to live in such "tough" conditions. But he did, and I'd like to think that he did so knowing that to help his adopted city he needed to see what the city could be from the gutter, not from the proverbial "ivory tower." We can make an educated inference that he heard a call to action. I think his mom had a lot to do with this. In the article he recalls a conversation he had with his mother after he graduated from law school:
At the same time, Booker recalls a conversation he had with his mother when he was in law school trying to figure out what to do next. “My mom said, 'You have this obligation to live a fearless life. You should try to push the limits of what’s possible, because you were given so much, that’s what your obligation is.'So I guess my question for my future is: Am I answering to what I believe is my personal calling? Am I telling my truth in the decisions I make with my career?”
Now I know many of us are huge fans of Booker. He's a modern day Batman, or maybe more appropriately he's an evolved version of Christopher Nolan's depiction of Harvey Dent in The Dark Knight film. He's super and a hero, who seems to be "better" than politics. Yes he's awesome, but I wonder where he would be had he not have his mom (a little more "everyday" than Booker) whisper those words of wisdom into his ear. Be fearless, push the limits of what's possible. He certainly has done that. But maybe he has his mother to thank for not sliding down the slippery slope of personal mediocrity.
Thanks Mama Booker!
And to all of you... I hope you can do whatever you can to live fearless and to push whatever limits you see before you.
Now Listening to:
Kid Cudi ft. Cee Lo Green - Scott Mescudi vs. The World
Yesterday evening I was speaking with my good friend Daymyen. We were playing some catchup. He had recently moved to NY from Boston. We began recapping our New Years, relationships, family etc. The conversation moved to work (as it usually does with all of us). I recently let go of a great job because I knew that it was keeping me away from some bigger things, for example, my doctorate, and being totally happy.
Some of my colleagues, friends and family think I'm crazy that I had let go of being an Assistant Dean. Maybe I am, but being in that role was notmy dream; not right now anyways. After 10 years and 6 institutions I am quite satisfied with what I have accomplished when helping students, working with colleagues and being changed by both former and latter. I did good work, and after 10 years I want to focus on what I want now. So after saving some money, I have the time and luxury to do so.
Now, unemployed, I guess I'll have a lot of free time. The positive of insecurity - creativity. Since leaving my last job I have had a ton of time to investigate the passions that I have been shoving to the side for so long. Honestly, when it comes to things I want in my own life, I have gotten more done in the past week than I did in the last 4 months. So when I was relaying this insight to my friend he drops:
"Creative space isn't so hard to create when you don't have to kill yourself to create it. " - He's totally right. In the past two weeks I've bought a desk (physical creative space), read a TON, improved important personal relationships etc. I think parts of my brain have come back from a long vacation. 2013 is looking damn fackin good, and I think it's because I'm not working so hard to make it something it's not. - Thanks D. Layne, you're the man. Check out his blog at: http://dlayneperspective.com/
Listening to: "Limitless" - Wale ft. Scarface, off the "Folarin" mixtape. Download at: http://www.datpiff.com/Wale-Folarin-mixtape.433113.html
I got an email late last night: I wanted to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to my good missed friend , I hope all has been good this past year for you and 2013 will be even better. I always look forward to see you ,only keep positive people close and success as your goal.... Your good friend...TonyS
Do you have people in your life that you don't know that well, but share an amazing connection? A very good dude named Tony came into my life a few years ago.
A few years back I am hosting an alumni event for Quinnipiac University (go Bobcats!). Dressed in a suit I was consumed by directing volunteers with no time to small chat anyone. More importantly I had not eaten dinner yet, which like everyone else in my family - makes me extremely irritable. Shortly into the event, I was approached by a man, mid 60's, in a flower shirt, scraggly hair and flip flops. His name tag read: Tony S. He had bad penmanship.
Back then I did some small fundraising for the university. When Tony approached me (with a smile) I thought: "Who is this joker? I can only afford to speak with him to maybe 2 minutes, nothing more. He doesn't look like the type of guy who will help my numbers look good. I need to ask person x,y and z for a gift for this scholarship I'm working on." I should mention that in my mid-twenties my personality became somewhat hardened, and my vision short sighted. Tony came to meet me at the height of my awfulness.
Well 30 minutes later we are sharing our views on views on positive psychology, friends, happiness, spouses (he was married, I - not) and life. I'd be lying if I said that Tony changed everything, and turned me from my abysmal outlook on my life and my work. He didn't. What he did do though is show me a direction, a way of thinking that I didn't even know I lost. This guy, whose hair was more flop than his flips reminded me that I wasn't being who I wanted to see in the mirror. I'm ashamed that I thought I had only two minutes to talk to him... Who am I to think such a thing?
"Never judge someone based on their appearance." So many of us have been told this countless times. It's a crock. Initially, we will always judge someone based on their appearance. What is important is that we become comfortable with the fact that we do judge, and - think past that judgement because most people that come into our lives deserve the opportunity to speak, and not be spoken for by their appearance.
So I heard a cool saying from my Graduate Assistant (GA) the other day. For Those of you who don't know what a GA is, they are graduate students working on a college campus as a para professional. They are supervised by people in director positions like myself.
The relationship is usually a mentoring flavor. The GA works, gains experience and knowledge from. Well we were talking about his goals, etc. I asked him aboutit how he was going to accomplish one of his more "lofty" goals... He replies with stern confidence: "Well sometimes you need to just speak things into existence". I was floored. He reminded me of the power one can have against there own doubt.
Sometimes you just need to say something out loud. "I will get to a healthier weight, I will pass this test, I am going to read more, etc. etc." If you can hear yourself say things, maybe you will hold yourself more accountable.
"Sometimes you need to speak things into existence" - Thanks Courtland for reminding me that words are stronger than my doubtful thoughts. There's no need to:
