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Tag: work

29 thoughts from a 29-year-old

  1. Decide to get it done. Commit. Go.
  2. Goals will keep you on track.
  3. Fears take on tricky disguises. Call them out or enlist the help of someone who can.
  4. Helping others is one of the best things you can do with your time.
  5. You will learn more traveling than sitting in a classroom.
  6. Relationships are containers for growth.
  7. Be kind.
  8. Laugh more.
  9. It’s OK to make mistakes.
  10. It’s OK to admit you’re wrong.
  11. It’s OK to say no.
  12. Sometimes you don’t know what you want. Do what you enjoy, instead.
  13. Metabolism can be cruel; eat healthy, get sleep, be good to yourself.
  14. Take more risks.
  15. If it excites you, do it.
  16. No one else will know your value until you do.
  17. You don’t need permission to act. Stop waiting to be told.
  18. Finished is better than half started.
  19. Give others permission to recognize your worth.
  20. Stop waiting for perfect. “Good enough” is just fine. Perfect doesn’t exist.
  21. Nothing is permanent.
  22. No decision is irreversible.
  23. It’s never “too late.”
  24. People can change.
  25. Love is what happens after the butterflies fade.
  26. Home is a place you create for yourself.
  27. Get outside daily.
  28. Dream big. Great, now dream bigger.
  29. Hold nothing back.

Do you know your value?

Your value is much more than a dollar amount. It’s your time, your emotional investment, your energy, your connections. It’s your life.

Your worth is not just about confidence. It’s your dreams, where you’re going, what you want. It’s knowing what you need to get there and asking for it, unapologetically and with conviction.

By recognizing your worth, you’re helping colleagues and partners understand your art and the work that you do. You’re giving permission for others to acknowledge your greatness, and you’re making it easier for them to do so. In fact, knowing your worth will make many things easier — decisions, saying no, welcoming that which brings you joy, defining roles within both personal relationships and work agreements.

The confidence you have in yourself is contagious. Understand you’re bettering others by bettering yourself.

Listen wisely.

There are times you’ll feel like giving up.
Something else will come along, tempt you, appeal to your vulnerability, try to lure you back to the world you wanted to leave in the first place.
And then…

  • long hours
  • sleepless nights
  • infrequent, unreliable pay
  • instability, uncertainty
  • temporary narrowed vision, neglect of self and others
  • an obsessive desire to work (all of the time!)
  • scrapping, hustling, clinging, clawing
  • frustration
  • failing
  • loneliness
  • despair

What is louder: momentary discomfort or the dreams you have for yourself?
You’ll hear lots of voices — of fear, of doubters, of jealous naysayers…
Of the true calling of your heart.
Listen wisely.

Read this when you actually want to get it done.

Writer’s block. It happens to the best of us. Procrastination, exhaustion, complaining, and straight up avoidance isn’t unique to you, either. When you’ve had enough wallowing and decide it’s time to actually get things done, here are 10 steps to lead you onto the path of production.

And yes, I followed my own advice to write this post (see image).

  1. Get off Facebook.photo
  2. Step away from the computer.
  3. Go for a bike ride.
  4. Take a shower.
  5. Sit somewhere new. Or change your desk around.
  6. Get reacquainted with pen, paper, markers, tape, glue…
  7. Turn off the phone! Really!
  8. Realize that everything will still be there in one hour. Emails can wait. Voicemails aren’t going anywhere. No one will die.
  9. Chunk it. Break it down into bite-sized pieces. Set mini goals if you must.
  10. Stop trying to be perfect. Write crap. Come up with terrible ideas. Just start.

19 things you can do instead of grad school

I’ve witnessed firsthand the business our education system has become.

I strongly advise anyone considering graduate school to carefully consider whether this investment is necessary in order to obtain the position and professional satisfaction they are looking for.

Many of the skills needed to thrive in our economy are not obtained in classrooms. You may want to consider these learning experiences before you sign your letter of intent:

  1. Volunteer. Help your local farmers’ market, assist the neighborhood school, sign up for an overseers program. A simple google search should yield a few options.
  2. Find an apprenticeship. The Department of Labor lists registered offerings and you can search by your state.
  3. Be an intern. They’re not just for undergrads. Offer your services to a company whose mission and values you admire.
  4. Get a mentor. Ask for introductions to industries you’re interested in. Identify individuals who have the kind of career trajectory you want.
  5. Be mentor. This is one of the best ways to solidify what you do know. You may surprise yourself.
  6. Take a Skillshare class.
  7. Join the General Assembly community.
  8. Check out classes at a community college. Find one near you here.
  9. Take advantage of free online education: Coursera‎, Khan Academy, Academic Earth, GCF Learn Free, Open Courseware Consortium, iTunes U, Textbook Revolution.
  10. Travel. (I wish this was mandatory for all graduating students.)
  11. Start a blog. Get into the habit of putting your thoughts into words.
  12. Get yourself a library card. Read and read and read some more.
  13. Place yourself in new environments and experience new things. Go on an adventure, learn a trade, take a woodworking course.
  14. Show initiative and take on new projects at work.
  15. Organize groups through Meetup or other social platforms (TabUp, Kitchen Surfing).
  16. Spend time in your local art studio.
  17. Submit op-ed articles to your newspaper.
  18. Ask for informational interviews from a variety of professions and roles.
  19. Take time off. Don’t rush into any decision. That graduate program will [most likely] be there next year.

Did you attend or skip grad school? Was it “worth it” and are you using your degree now? Send me a note with your thoughts.