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Tag: passion

When you find your passion, people will hate you.

“I think your [sic] passionate about your work and I know it turns people like me off.”

The message pinged in my Facebook inbox as I was going to sleep.

Maybe because I was in a particularly fragile state — two days in bed with high fever, my arms and legs raging with sunburn, pimples dotting my face, constipation, tension high with continued visa struggles, pressure to find funding for our annex building while trying to keep dinners in NYC going strong — I’ll admit, the comment stung. It got me thinking about what I’ve been doing and how I’ve been going about it. I instantly starting writing and analyzing.

You see, even when you’re shining and radiant and doing good work in the world, there will be people who don’t like you, who don’t understand, who aren’t supportive.

Ignore them. Write a list of all your wins and keep going.

P.S. If I had good wifi, I would download and listen to James’ podcasts.

Acceptance and a face tattoo

Last night I had a dream I got a tattoo. It was a big black tribal symbol winding down the side of my face and neck. Sometimes my hair would hide it, but no amount of accessories or clothing could conceal its dark lines. I spent most of the dream trying to come to terms with it and accept the fact I had this thing permanently etched onto my skin.

I’ve sat with NY Times bestselling authors, farmers in Nepal, Tibetan Buddhists, Wall Street sharks, Italian philosophers and millionaires from California. They all have one thing in common:

Everyone wants something.

I have yet to meet an individual who is 100% honestly, truly satisfied. Everyone has some benchmark they are trying to tip, some element of their life they wish they could change. This is life.

No matter where you are, who you are, how much money you have, or who sleeps next to you, there is something that could be better, easier, more exciting, different. This gap drives who we are and what we do. We spend so much time and energy building, creating, altering and striving that it seems against our nature to be satisfied.

Acceptance is one of those gold terms; if you nail it, you’re rich. Wealth comes from recognizing what cannot be changed and where there is opportunity (of self, of others, the good and bad of what life deals you). If you can work with what you have, you’re well on your way.

The numbers in your bank account mean little.

If you hate your job, you cannot afford to stay one more day.
Over half of college graduates accept jobs that aren’t in their preferred industries (Bureau of Labor Statistics). People are bored, tired, and return home cranky and angry. Distraction comes in the form of stimuli — alcohol, drugs, buying things, selling things, gambling, eating, checking out in front of a screen.
You’ve invested too much in yourself — your education and training — to remain in a stifling workplace, performing tasks that are redundant. You are too valuable. Each second of your life is a precious moment you can’t get back. A bus could take you out tomorrow.
As difficult as it might seem to find a new gig, your life depends on it.
Your checkbook isn’t the only thing you should worry about. The bigger balance is your soul.

Figure out what you want to learn and go do it.

The most valuable things I’ve learned I’ve learned by doing. I didn’t read them out of a book or listen to some famous person who drastically changed my life (although some of these things surely helped).

I knew little about business jargon and brand platforms until I began consulting for Fortune 500 companies.

I learned about people’s psychology and motivation conducting clinical assessments.

I became a producer and creative consultant while organizing events.

I became a writer (a long time dream of mine) when I started calling myself one (I was always writing).

What do you want to be good at? Go.

 

7 sins of crowdfunding

My recent indiegogo campaign has elicited a flurry of emails from people looking for support and advice on projects of their own. I’ve attempted a few fundraising efforts — one that failed, one that supported inner city kids (and got me to Everest Base Camp), and another that had me running the 2011 NYC marathon (never again!). I’ve noticed a few patterns surrounding the psychology of asking and giving and hope this compilation might help you think carefully about your next crowdfunding endeavor.

ONE: APATHY. You don’t really care about your cause.

If you aren’t invested in your project, how can you ask anyone else to be? The solar project came out of something incredibly meaningful for me, and my passion is palpable through a screen. If you think your work will make a difference in someone’s life, probably it will. People will believe in you and your work, but first you must believe in yourself. It can be unnerving to put yourself out there, so focus on your goal and what you’re looking to accomplish to overcome any social anxieties. Excitement is contagious.

TWO: GLUTTONY. Stressing helps no one.

With each fundraiser I end up putting on a few pounds, ultimately telling friends “fundraising is bad for my health.” I won’t lie: fundraising is stressful. It can be an agonizing blend of deadlines, public exposure, asking for money, rejection, persistence, hard work, and time. Lots of time.

Keep in mind no one will give you an award for stressing out. Worrying only paralyzes you from accomplishing anything significant; this serves no one. If you are tired or rundown, you’re going to be an inefficient fundraiser, advocate, worker, person. Take care of yourself.

THREE: PRIDE. You’re not going to be successful by yourself; build a team.

You need supporters in your corner for the times you hit fundraising slumps (and you will). Enlist your funders to encourage and cheer you on. Basic mathematics: more people means more energy and effort directed towards your project. And more eyeballs (over 10k people visited the solar project page). You’ll need more than just financial support as you make the final push toward your goals.

FOUR: SLOTH. Fundraising is really like a marathon.

At first, your idea will sound exciting and meaningful and you can’t wait to get started.

Then reality sets in. Is crowdfunding going to work? What if this fails? (Anxious questioning is completely normal. If you’re not at least a little bit nervous, reevaluate #1.)

After you announce your campaign to the world, you will feel empowered and committed. You start telling colleagues, share your campaign on social media channels, and receive positive feedback from friends. This initial spike in enthusiasm will be followed by a slump. Don’t panic.

FIVE: WRATH. You are not getting the response you hoped for, and now you’re angry.

Don’t give up.

You have to work really freaking hard. Sometimes, all of your online efforts aren’t enough. This is when you start looking at offline options. Tell everyone you meet about your project. Plan events — events, fundraisers, silent auctions. At one point, I considered making animal balloons on the street for money. Then I started applying to every micro grant I could possibly find—THANK YOU, POLLINATION PROJECT!—for fear I wouldn’t reach my goal.

Remember #4. It’s a marathon race; pace yourself but be prepared for sudden sprints. You will regain energy and confidence as your deadline nears and you approach your goal.

SIX: IGNORANCE. You don’t know your own story.

You’ll need to get creative. Images and anecdotes create a portrait of what you’re trying to do. Show people why your cause is meaningful and what kind of impact you’re looking to make. Your shared content — photos, stories, ideas, videos, testimonials — will help you move past moments of doubt and remind you why you started this in the first place.

SEVEN: GREED. You got what you wanted.

Just because your campaign ends doesn’t mean your work is finished. Don’t be fooled — donor appreciation takes time and care. People went out of their way to support you and your cause; thank them and keep them updated on your progress and work. Follow up and be timely with updates. It makes you look responsible and reminds people they made the right choice by supporting your work.

Gratitude is everything.