Do something that matters

It is my assumption that everyone wants to do something that matters. I'm far from positive about this, but it just makes sense to me. The opposite is people just want to feel like failures much of the time - and I just can't see anyone wanting that. So then the questions are these:

1) What is it that matters?

2) Can I do something that matters here or do I need to go somewhere else to do it?

The answers (as I see them) are:

1) What do you have a passion about? I'll bet others do to AND would benefit from your passion, understanding and expertise. Share it and watch what happens.

2) Yes. There is not a perfect place or ideal time. Certainly timing can be important, but if you wait to find the right mix of whatever you are waiting for - you will never even start.

Good luck. Let me know how it goes for you!

An Untouchable lesson: What are you prepared to do?

I love the movie The Untouchables. Like all great stories it has layers. Very often those layers provide opportunities for teaching or learning if you're inclined to consider the full context of the scene, dialogue or situation. The scene below is just such an occasion.

What are you prepared to do?

Not in the context the film uses, but rather what are you personally or professional prepared to do? What is your company prepared to do?

It is an invitation to answer the call, if you are prepared to act, or to prepare yourself if you are not.

Maybe you need a plan. Or, maybe you just need to just follow the plan you have in place. Possibly you need to make some hard choices. Or, it might just be you need to buckle down and do whatever is in your path.

So, what are you prepared to do? Action is required. It is your move.

Professional boredom. What!?

I'm sure my girls are not different than most other American students, at least when it comes to summer boredom (or at least their perception of boredom.)

You know what I'm talking about because we have all either a) been a student or b) been the parent of a student.

It plays out much the same way everywhere. Student counts down the days to the end of the year and comes home chanting 'summer, Summer, SUMMER' in their best High School Musical tones. By day two, you are certain to hear - I'm bored or there is nothing to do in the days before their summer activities kick off.

After this happened at my house, I started drawing parallels.

I know many professionals (myself included) that have at one time or another been bored in their job. They, like students with summer star in their eyes, worked or studied hard for the job or promotion. When the 'arrived' they were thrilled, like kids the day school is out for summer. They are content for a time, but when problems arise or the challenges stop coming, they get bored with their job.

How can you overcome the challenge of 'professional boredom' that many won't admit to having? Try some or all of these:

1) Read something. Professionals that don't read are going backward in their profession. Pick a book store. Find a book. Read it. Repeat. If books aren't your thing, find a new blog related to your profession or related subject and read it. Daily.

2) Take 30 minutes and clean up your work space. Often the act of organizing can help you feel more engaged. Or, you will dive into the task and it will pull you into some projects you've been dreading. Once you are into it you'll realize it isn't all that bad!

3) Use a vacation day during the week and do something you want to do - for you. Something that you won't take time for on the weekend.

4) Write down your goals or review them if you have previously written them. Are you on track? If yes, do you need to re-evaluate what you want to do. Off track? What will it take to get back on the path you set out?

5) Seek out a non-profit and volunteer for a project, committee or the board. You might use a new part of your skills and ignite your passion all over again.

It is OK to be bored and it's even fine to admit it, but it's not healthy for you or your company to stay bored. What are your favorite solutions to professional boredom?

What is your story?

Many have written about storytelling as a way to have an impact with your marketing message. Seth Godin has. So has Drew McLellan, and I am sure many others have. Please share others in the comment section, as I love to learn more.

I think they are correct and so do others with which I speak. Therefore, I wonder, why don’t more of us market by storytelling?

Of course I can only speak from the experiences and discussions I have had. What those two things tell me is that getting to the core of what your own story is can be difficult. Time to think and the ability to articulate your ideas are real barriers for some.

Beyond that, finding an effective way to tell your story is also a barrier. Although communications options abound, so do the filters people use to shield themselves from messages, however well intentioned.

What it comes down to then is getting others to participate in your story or maybe to retell it – or in today’s terms ReTweet your story. They need to connect to your story in a real way…to feel it. Your story has to be compelling enough for them to relate to it or, even better, to feel like it is happening to them.

So, how do you distill your story down so you can figure out how to tell it in a compelling way? That will certainly be different for different companies and people.  A starting point however is knowing what you (or your company) are passionate about AND what you are NOT passionate about. It is hard to tell a good story without passion.