One of the many perks of my job is posting to social media. Much of the postage is fairly workish, but this one kind of grabbed me, so you get to read it too: 10 Resolutions the Most Successful People Make, and then Keep.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikemaddock/2012/12/30/ten-resolutions-the-most-successful-people-make-and-then-keep/
My favorite one is #9: Resolve to be the creator.
What is the outcome you want? What stands in your way? How do you
overcome these obstacles? These three simple questions will keep you
from being victimized by any situation.
Creators change the world.
Victims just bitch about stuff.
We all have our own bucket of crap to carry around 24/7. Yours may feel lighter on some days and quite unmanageably heavy on others. Sometimes it's OK to just acknowledge that a situation sucks and nothing can be done about it. That's different from plain old bitching. Bitching is having a pity party for yourself. If you want to have one, fine, but don't have it around me unless you're at least willing to start thinking your way past it. You'll get farther trying to find a way forward than focusing on how heavy your crap bucket is.
OK, soapbox put away. Now here's a big hug, and I love you, and go get 'em, Hot Shot!
Happy New Year! May your bucket of crap seem as light as a feather to you in 2013.
4 comments:
The only problem I have with this is that is posted from the position of the person in charge. Complaining is the only way that the "workers" can get their grievances recognized and addressed. From my perception, Forbes is written in such a way to keep the peons thinking that they can change things and scurrying around like so many rats attempting to play the "creator" role and, more specifically, competing with each other so that they cannot challenge the existing power structure.
Keep in mind this is from the position of a corporate rat.
A very fair point. I was thinking more of the personal side, but "Be a creator" could viewed cynically as a modern version of Rome's bread and circuses - anything to keep the masses from revolting. However, corporate rats can always quit or be laid off and go create something else. Keep in mind this is from the perspective of someone who has no talent or stomach for corporate politics. I am a corporate raccoon (?) Lower salary but much higher happiness than my former rat colleagues. Also, I wash my food in streams.
I have heard that argument before "the quit or be laid off" and it ignores the realities of modern life. You have a mortgage, kids in school, and really need insurance, so you are almost required to go to work in some way. If not, you are not providing adequately for your children or spouse. Much can be said for raccoon-hood, but the pragmatist in me will not allow that.
Also, you almost made my point for me. "Go create something else." That's the scurrying I was talking about, you might be somewhat successful, but eventually, someone larger is either going to buy you out or compete with you.
The minute I don't have to rely on my employer for insurance (i.e. Medicare for all) is the minute I seriously think about working for myself.
I hear you, Pete. My dad couldn't abide working for The Man, which is why he and Mumu started Blackhawk Data Corporation almost right after they got married. Insurance was a big deal for such a small organization, but for them it was well worth having that autonomy. Starting a business isn't for everybody. But I'm not a total Pollyanna. Of course we live in the real world and we need to work, provide for ourselves/families, have insurance, etc. If you're lucky, work is also interesting and engaging. I grew up believing that you study hard and work hard and then the employer holds up their end of the contract. Except that contract has been largely broken for some time. Ask any millennial. I worked for the better part of a quarter-century at a company that ultimately laid me off. In the end, it was good they did, because only after I lost my job did I realize how unhappy I had been there. I have the luxury of making a bit less because my husband makes more than I do. But there was no question that I had to go start completely from scratch and find something better. What would we do if mine were our only income? We'd probably manage; being opportunistic scavengers, raccoons are more pragmatic than they get credit for. :)
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