It isn’t the circumstances that are crucial, it is what we say about the circumstances that matters….what assumptions am I making that I don’t know that I am making???
Thank you (and YouTube) for the reminder Benjamin Zander
Tag: Transition
Career Stewardship Cloud
An homage to Freedom
My favorite piece of sculpture in Philadelphia is Freedom by Zenos Frudakis.
There is something about the piece that brings me joy every time I see it. The clarity of what it means. The exuberance of the figure who has overcome a struggle and broken out of his confining wall. The piece rewards the driver who spies it while waiting impatiently for a light to turn, the passerby who happens upon it and pauses to take it in, and even more so the individual whose regular path takes her by. There are many intricacies embedded in the backdrop of its journey: faces, tools, bodies.
The one who seeks most to understand freedom is in the best position to be delighted by its presence.
PS My homepage pictures were both taken in front of the sculpture and spliced together by my partner, Geoff, in the early giddiest days of our romance.
Career Stewardship
Career Stewardship: kə-ˈrir, stü-ərd-ˌship: the conducting, supervising, or managing of one’s work or calling; especially : the careful and responsible management of one’s professional activities and direction.
What would it look like for you to move your career forward intentionally on your own — knowing what you know, what you are currently known for and what you want to be known for in the future?
Taking a page from Covey
This morning as I was pondering my day, this thought popped into my head: Begin with the end in mind. I recognized that this pithy and perfectly formed mandate was unlikely to have come from my brain first. In fact, I was sure it had come from one of my standard go-to books, Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People yet a quick review of Dale Carnegie’s Golden Book proved me wrong. Google gently reminded me that it is one of Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits. Number two in fact.
In transitions, beginning with the end in mind can have a profound effect. As a filter, a planning tool and a driver of everything you need to do.
Here are some thought questions to identify the end you have in mind, or to consider while determining just what that end should be:
- What am I known for?/What do I want to be known for?
- What do I know about what I’m looking for?
- Can I articulate what I’m looking for in 30 seconds or less? (think: positioning statement, value proposition, brand articulation)
- Do I have the time and resources to hold out for my ideal or do I need a two-pronged strategy?
Don’t fret too much if you don’t have all the answers. If you start to worry, take a suggestion from my friend Dale: Fill your mind with thoughts of peace, courage, health and hope.