Fight Complacency - Play Every Gig as if its Your Last

"There was once a man who thought he was better than me, and he was, until he had that thought". Anonymous.


This particular quote has floated in my head for well over five years now. An old college friend had recited it and I immediately adopted it as my mantra, even though I had not completely wrapped my head around its meaning. What most fascinates me about the quote is its multiple levels of interpretation.


A few days ago I crossed paths with a very influential authority figure; one who appreciates good poetry, and as we sparked up a very engaging discussion on motivation, leadership and strength, I asked him about the quote; "There was once a man who thought he was better than me, and he was, until he had that thought." He replied, "If I want to kill a gnat, I'll hit it with a sledge hammer."


As we grow older and increase our level of expertise on a varied array of subjects, we tend to get too comfortable. Over time, our complacency increases the risk of us over valuing our strengths and becoming less and less thorough in handling our affairs. As a result, we make the mistake of digging our own grave - metaphorically of course.


Our mistake is not giving a particular assignment our full attention, especially tasks in which we assume are our "areas of expertise". In essence, "Complacency is a state of mind that exists only in retrospective: it has to be shattered before being ascertained". Vladimir Nabokov.








Photo Credit: http://creoleindc.typepad.com/rantings_of_a_creole_prin/2011/08/family-of-complacency.html

Both tears and sweat are salty, but they render a different result. Tears will get you sympathy; sweat will get you change.

Jesse Jackson

Passion: The Key Ingredient to Happiness, Success and Leading a fulfilling Life

I've heard the question several times; "What is the key requirement for greatness"? How do we source real talent out of millions of others with the same skillset and/or background. Bill Gates, the Billionaire owner of Microsoft says, "there's no formula to it... That one-in-a-million type person does not follow a particular road to success e.g.: Dropping out of College, dropping in on interesting classes, travelling to India, smoking bongs, then settling on a great start-up idea and eventually changing the world". Yes, it worked for Gates, Jobs and Zuckerberg but, those are the exceptions, not the rule. There's more to the formula.


I've always loved reading biographies of exceptional people and I've found out that the one key ingredient that stands out most, is passion. Passion has kept them going long after everyone else has given up. Passion keeps them running on empty even when the finish line isn't in sight. Passion enables them to work on their trade so much so that it no longer seems like a chore. Passion has taught them discipline, hard work, tenacity, endurance, grit, hope, strength and faith... 


My very good friend, Albert Einstein said, "It's not that I'm so smart. I just stay with problems longer". The Michael Jordans, Lance Armstrongs, Roger Federers, Steffi Graphs, Jackie Joyner-Kersees and many other world athletes all know the feeling of living a life of passion for their one single purpose in life.

My previous blog post was premised upon the quote, "Choose a job you love and you'll never have to work a day in your life". Passion is the love that translates our enthusiasm to greatness. Passion makes work fun and choosing a career in a field we're passionate about is truly a blessing. In every field, only the truly passionate become the leaders, trailblazers, game-changers and they serve as that god-like inspiration to the rest of the world. Thanks to the Gandhis, Thatchers, Lincolns, Martin Luther King Jr.'s, Churchills, Mandelas, Roosevelts, e.t.c., now we have some sort of a template to follow on seeking our ultimate quest.


I've long concurred with the veracity of the following statement; "No one is lazy, they're just uninspired". So the next time you see  someone complaining, lethargic, demotivated, or just cranky on the job, then maybe it's a sign that they'll be more fulfilled in a different career. Only the passionate will continue working with the same enthusiasm, even when they're not getting sufficient paid, or not appreciated. Only the truly passionate will continue down a tough, tumultuous path, even when everyone else is saying it's a lost cause.


The passionate aren't satisfied with just meeting goals, making quotas or receiving the accolades. They keep delivering, long after the fame and attention have disappeared. What makes them exceptional is their ability to find a niche they're passionate about and pursuing it regardless of the obstacles along the way.


True passion never considers alternatives... True passion doesn't accept substitutes... True passion never settles. Indeed, passion is that inexhaustible fuel that elevates man to extraordinary heights of greatness. And only those who are willing to employ it as a lifestyle will go on to make a real dent in the world.

Photo and Video Courtesy: http://asanvicente.com/2011/10/09/are-you-passionate-about-what-you-do-by-thomas-michael-hogg/

"I View Today's Economy as the Value Economy. Adding Value Has become More than Just a Business Principle; It is both the Common Denominator and the Competitive Edge".

Arthur Levitt, Jr.

Do What You Love: Five Ways to Bridge the Gap between Job Satisfaction and Earning a Paycheck

CONFUCIUS said it best, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” According to the U.S. Department of Labor, every year we spend at least 1896 hours at work. On average, we spend about nine hours everyday on work related activities. Projected over a lifetime... and its pretty unfortunate spending all this time stuck in a profession we do not love.

Here are some interesting Job Satisfaction statistics from salary.com:

• About 65% of workers say they are somewhat satisfied in their jobs while less than 15% say they are extremely satisfied.
• The most satisfied age group in the work force is working retirees and the least happy age group are the millennials, those under 30.
• Roughly 35 percent of people said they were not looking around for a job and 65 percent of them cited the bad economy as the reason why. The need for a paycheck and benefits has the unhappy workers flying under the radar until the economy recovers.

Indeed, financial stability is important, but what's even more significant is pursuing a career we're interested  in. Of course, not everyone may get this opportunity but it's our responsibility is to find the right balance - based on our values, priorities, family obligations and preferences - between job satisfaction and earning a decent paycheck. The following tips serve as pointers towards bridging this gap.

1. Take the leap of faith and go for what you want, not necessarily what’s convenient: 

This rule is mostly relevant to college students and those still in the beginning phases of their careers. In order to choose the right career path one needs to know what what interests them and must have done substantial research on what the job entails. In business school, we’re taught to choose smart goals: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Reliable and Timely. Try as much as possible to clarify the career path that is most compatible with your passion.  

2. Hone your talents: 

Practice makes perfect. The more you do, the more you understand and as we gain more skill in this particular field, our interests spur us to push the boundaries of occupational success. Following the logic of becoming an expert in a specific field and going on to earning the right to command a price in a free market is not something that comes easily for everyone. It takes a lot of hard work. Even the most talented professionals have to put in a fair amount of effort to deliver and improve as time goes on. Working in a field you love increases the likelihood of becoming an outstanding professional.

3. Be creative in connecting the dots between your background and a new career: 

The world is changing and there are in-numerous combinations of how to connect our dynamic skill-set to any given career. With increasing development and influence of social media on business, management, marketing, advertisement, litigation, HR, ... Looking for a fulfilling niche, unique to our interests might not be so far fetched.

4. Career Shadowing: 

If you can’t just pack up your day job for a prospective intended field, it's perfectly understandable and you're not alone. However, the next best thing may be to make time to network with people within your prospective (dream) field. Take classes, call businesses that interest you, volunteer, attend seminars and follow up with the changing dynamics of these areas of interest. Most importantly, try not to pass up opportunities to speak to professionals within your intended field. In this economy improvisation is key and if you think enough, you might just spot an area in the industry which you're best suited for.

5. Beware of falling victim to the sunk cost fallacy: 

“ I've already come this far, I just can’t pack it all up and start all over”. Sounds familiar? Psychologists and Economists love making references to the concept of sunk costs. These are retrospective (past) costs that have already been incurred and cannot be recovered. The more we invest in something the harder it is to abandon it. For those of us with somewhat advanced careers, it may sound ridiculous to even consider leaving our familiar career path for something different, even if its a field we may derive lot's of pleasure from. It's important to recognize this fallacy and correct its impact where necessary.

Doing what we love is one way of leading a fulfilling and no matter what happens we must always find the love in what we do… Take calculated risks, expand our horizons, push limitations and try not to settle in any area of life, including our careers.

If you have any tips on the best way of choosing and getting a career you love, please share in the comments section.

_{Photo Courtesy: http://www.momandamicrophone.com/2011/03/loving-what-you-do.html}

_References: http://www.salary.com/Articles/ArticleDetail.asp?tab=psn&cat=cat011&ser=ser032&part=par1356