Before I date myself too much, I’m 46 years old…so I’m going to reference one of my favorite TV commercial lines from the early 90’s from the famed 70 year old one-armed pushup actor Jack Palance.
A Growth Mindset
I often believe the ‘early career’ people in our office think I’m completely insane. I walk around talking about “goodness vs greatness”, “attitude. effort. actions”, or my favorite phrase of all - “don’t be in the story of what should have been, be in the deep acceptance of how it is as you become what you do.” But here’s the real completely insane part…I believe everything I say! Not only do I believe it, but I work hard to live by the principles of them every day. Being intentional about being better today than I was yesterday. Personal and professional development, a skill that must be practiced daily, must be constantly developed or you’re almost certainly destined to lose in the arena that you’ve chosen in life.
It’s the intersection of preparation and knowledge that defines “skill”. When skill is achieved and you can execute the fundamentals of your craft, it’s then and only then, that you’ve earned the right to…well, keep learning! This is not only necessary in every profession, but also at any stage of one’s career. A surgeon must have it - he/she must not only be able to perform delicate surgery, but they must do it with laser precision so the patient is not lost. An attorney must not only have the skill of the law, but they also must be able to react quickly in situations that occur in courtrooms so they don’t lose a case. In our business, the business of technology transformation, the ability to be prepared and knowledgeable is the difference-maker in staying relevant in the eyes of our customers vs a competitor taking that customer.
Beyond the skills development of our trade, our mental skills need to be developed too. I recently read an article on developing the skill of one’s mindset. While I’m not able to recall the article verbatim, it’s narrative resonated with me more than anything I’ve recently read. The overall message was our ability to develop a growth mindset and that mindset’s requirements for winning. Regardless of if a lesson is formal, informal, social, shallow or deep, a growth mindset places a high value on learning. This mindset is also open to feedback and is confident in it’s ability to cultivate new skills over time. Ultimately mindset skill development will distinguish the winners from the survivors.
Here’s the net of all this - if you choose to be the best and most authentic version of yourself, you must be committed to being a lifelong learner. After all, it’s what you learn after you know everything that ultimately counts.
You Own You
Find A Way
The business I’m in is tough. That said, there are levels of professional toughness that far exceed the work I’m in…an oil rigger is tough; physically taxing and long hours in hostile environments. Tough would also describe a lumberjack; working outdoors in a variety of weather elements. And perhaps the most tough job of all is the Alaskan Crab Fisherman; 24 hour shifts, bitter weather and a certain death if one falls over into the cold, dark sea.
A Culture of Intention
Our culture is the character, personality and heartbeat of our business. It’s what makes us unique, and is the sum of our values, beliefs, interactions, behaviors, and attitude towards each other, our customers and the community we serve. Culture does not just happen. It’s done with intention. And the intention has to be intentional. And that “intentional intention” has to be consistent across every person in the building, every second of every day. And we’ll only get there if we all believe in these common principles.
Grit vs. Insanity
I was walking to the coffee machine at work the other day when I noticed a coworker (whom I’d also consider a friend) sitting and staring out the window, clearly in deep thought. I had to stop to see what was at the core of this deep thought. After a few minutes of small talk, the conversation turned serious. “What do you think about trusting the process?” he asked me.
The Battle of Expectations
The Curtain of Ambition
Pikes Peak- Do Uncomfortable and Happy Go Together?
You Always Have to Pick Yourself First
You’re Not the Smartest Guy in the Room
Dallas, My Cousin, and a Civil Rights Legend
My cousin is a cop. He’s not a street patrol officer, but a plain-clothes narcotics detective in the borough of Brooklyn on the streets of New York City. He’s a bad dude: standing 6’4” and nearly 240 lbs. of lean, tattooed muscle. His approach to his duty is what makes him so special on the streets when it comes to dealing with the bad guys.
Everyone is the Future
I was sitting in a doctor’s office today and sat beside me was a really old man talking to whom I assumed was his daughter. It wasn’t very difficult to eavesdrop on them- the old man was wearing hearing aids, and the two were virtually shouting at one another in what likely sounded like a normal tone to the old guy. They were talking about politics and church. Nothing controversial. Easy chat about the state of our country during this election season and how members of his aging congregation feel about the state of our union
The Best Investment I’ve Ever Made
The Gift of the New York City Marathon
NYC at 3am. Most people who are awake are likely just coming home from a fun night out. I, on the other hand, am just getting out of bed and ready to eat a full meal (which isn’t easy that early) in preparation to run the iconic NYC Marathon. This run is about two things: raising money to bring awareness to fight Hepatocellular Carcinoma and spending time with a friend who’s fighting the terminal illness and will likely never run again.
