Another day, it starts again, in the town in which we live
When heat is felt, some criticize, but most enjoy the rays
A season's change, plants to breathe, the sun does not cease to give
But on one day unlike the rest, our sun absorbs the news
A messenger informs the light of the nearby star burnt out
T'was the sun in nearby space, a brother he did lose
Although the sun becomes consumed with anguish and despair
Providing comfort if we could, the son we would repair
But day by day, he does not rest, all alone up there
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Thursday, July 19, 2012
In Good Company
If "a man is known by the company he keeps" I would argue that the same could be said for the companies that an economy keeps.
In my last post, I discussed two types of companies that I have encountered in My Search for a Career(TM pending). I have recently devised a theory - which may already exist, it's pretty difficult to come up with truly original thoughts these days - about different types of companies and how they affect the economy.
I believe there are 3 different types of profitable companies. I use the word "profitable" because profitable companies are the only companies that matter anyway; they are the only companies that will be in existence for excess of five years... barring a government bailout that is. But that's another topic for another day.
1. A Bad Company - Profits are the bottom line. Fails to recognize that, without people, there could be no profits. These companies tell their customers what they want to hear to make sales (cough: APX*), they often use fear tactics to motivate employees (e.g. "if you don't make quota, we will find someone who will" regardless of employees history), and they tend to prey on vulnerable and uninformed (cough: Infamous Utah Pyramid Schemes that somehow still exist even though they aren't all that difficult to detect or avoid... Seriously people, how are we still falling for these?) The attitude of a Bad Company is comparable to a professional athlete who charges fans for autographs or flips off the home crowd after being pulled out of a game.
2. A Good Company - Product quality and public image are important because they directly affect profit. This company understands that reputation does directly contribute to long-term success. The attitude of a Good Company is comparable to citizens who abide by the law because they fear the legal repercussions of failing to do so. They are good because they feel compelled to be.
3. The Best Companies - Think on a higher plane of thought. These companies seek to create a genuine win-win-win environment.
The customer wins by receiving the promised product/service with exceptional delivery (i.e. lack of buyers remorse).
The employees win by earning a competitive wage, excellent benefits, and a positive working environment.
The company wins by finding happy, hard-working employees who do their jobs, which makes happy customers, which results in profits and growth. The attitude of the Best Companies are comparable to good mothers. Good mothers put their children first, they sacrifice their immediate desires and selflessly give everything they have with the hope of all of their sacrifice making a positive difference. For the Best Companies, it's about much more than the money... Or at least that's what Zuckerberg would have us believe.
What's the point of starting a business if not for the profit?
There is nothing wrong with caring about profit. Starting a company without wanting a profit would be the same as starting a career and not wanting a pay check. A responsible person who earns an honest pay check puts some money into investments and savings, some they donate for causes they believe in, most goes towards bills and necessities, and the rest they may spend to bring joy to someone they love such as a spouse, children, or close friends. Whereas an irresponsible person will take their money and spend some on bills and necessities and the rest on self fulfilling immediate desires.
Similarly The Best Companies use their money responsibly and put it towards higher purposes. They care about the organization that has been created and how its existence contributes toward creation; creation of improved relationships, creation of positive influence, creation of long-term economic stability.
The Best Companies understand that the average employee spends about 36% of their day on work related activities and 32% sleeping. This means that the bulk of our time awake is spent at work. What a person does and how a person feels during the 36% of the day is sure to influence the remaining 32% of "free" time. The quality of a persons life and their contribution - positive or negative - to their community is greatly affected by their working environment. The Best Companies recognize that this is a great opportunity to extend their reach of influence within their community.
What ingredients are necessary to create The Best Companies?
First and foremost is a leader with a a lot of character, integrity, and common sense. If an organization takes on the characteristics of its leader, which characteristics promote the best work environments? There are many good characteristics that can be used to answer this question, but I have chosen the top 5 characteristics that I believe make the greatest impact. Many of the characteristics overlap and contain sub-characteristics but all relate to the overall concepts.
Top 5 in no particular order:
1. Selflessness - Members in any organizational unit are much more effective and efficient when they stop worrying about themselves and focus on the bigger picture. If you think of a company like a person, there are companies that are selfish and companies that care about others. Companies that are not overly concerned with their own well being create an atmosphere of giving and sacrifice. Ironically - for whatever reason - the individual benefits of selflessness seem to outweigh those of self-centeredness. Or in other words, if you care about what's in it for you, then stop caring about what's in if for you, you will get more out of the deal.
2. Integrity - AKA unequivocally doing what is right. This creates an environment of honesty, hard work, responsibility, and accountability. In this environment, doing the right thing requires about as much thought as breathing does.
3. Organization - The Best Companies are organized and ready to go to work. There is organized communication so everybody understands the plan, objectives, and mission. Organization leads to superior training, constant determination, and focus.
4. Tolerance - Employees should feel safe to openly express themselves and their ideas. A tolerant environment makes adaptability seamless and promotes confidence, openness, and even humility. This type of environment will ultimately lead to more ambition - which will lead to more hard work and education - which will lead to exchanging of more ideas - which will allow for risk-taking - which will lead to innovation - which will benefit the customer - and in-turn completely benefit the company.
5. Optimism - An optimistic approach on life is important for generating excitement and ideas. Optimism includes focusing on the positive and giving others the benefit of the doubt. This creates an environment of safety, good attitudes, and energy. Some confuse optimism with naivety but they are not the same. An optimistic realist - as I am self declared - doesn't ignore realities to avoid troubling news, he accepts reality and then finds a way to use it to his advantage.
Incorporating these characteristics will not create an environment of perfection, there will still be challenges and issues that arrise, sometimes even as a product of these environments. However, the negative encounters will not come close to the positive affects.
What affect do these companies have on the economy?
The Best Companies are built on a core of important values that will enable a company to adjust when necessary and weather the difficult economic storms. People want to work for these companies giving them the talent, customers will want to buy the companies products/services, making the company profitable, the company will grow and create more jobs for the people who are lining up to get in. These companies contribute to great long-term economic growth and stability. The 2008 housing bubble crash was a result of a small handful of selfish large Bad Companies followed by a panic of a lot of smaller Good Companies and Bad Companies. 2008 is not the only example of economic turmoil caused by Bad Companies either.
In summary, The Best Companies benefit the lives of their employees, the lives of their customers, the good of the community, the growth and stability of the economy, and ultimately millions of people with an influence over the course of multiple generations.
*I am talking about APX prior to their name and image change. I can't speak for the practices of Vivant but I hear they have improved, for what that's worth.
In my last post, I discussed two types of companies that I have encountered in My Search for a Career(TM pending). I have recently devised a theory - which may already exist, it's pretty difficult to come up with truly original thoughts these days - about different types of companies and how they affect the economy.
I believe there are 3 different types of profitable companies. I use the word "profitable" because profitable companies are the only companies that matter anyway; they are the only companies that will be in existence for excess of five years... barring a government bailout that is. But that's another topic for another day.
1. A Bad Company - Profits are the bottom line. Fails to recognize that, without people, there could be no profits. These companies tell their customers what they want to hear to make sales (cough: APX*), they often use fear tactics to motivate employees (e.g. "if you don't make quota, we will find someone who will" regardless of employees history), and they tend to prey on vulnerable and uninformed (cough: Infamous Utah Pyramid Schemes that somehow still exist even though they aren't all that difficult to detect or avoid... Seriously people, how are we still falling for these?) The attitude of a Bad Company is comparable to a professional athlete who charges fans for autographs or flips off the home crowd after being pulled out of a game.
2. A Good Company - Product quality and public image are important because they directly affect profit. This company understands that reputation does directly contribute to long-term success. The attitude of a Good Company is comparable to citizens who abide by the law because they fear the legal repercussions of failing to do so. They are good because they feel compelled to be.
The customer wins by receiving the promised product/service with exceptional delivery (i.e. lack of buyers remorse).
The employees win by earning a competitive wage, excellent benefits, and a positive working environment.
The company wins by finding happy, hard-working employees who do their jobs, which makes happy customers, which results in profits and growth. The attitude of the Best Companies are comparable to good mothers. Good mothers put their children first, they sacrifice their immediate desires and selflessly give everything they have with the hope of all of their sacrifice making a positive difference. For the Best Companies, it's about much more than the money... Or at least that's what Zuckerberg would have us believe.
What's the point of starting a business if not for the profit?
There is nothing wrong with caring about profit. Starting a company without wanting a profit would be the same as starting a career and not wanting a pay check. A responsible person who earns an honest pay check puts some money into investments and savings, some they donate for causes they believe in, most goes towards bills and necessities, and the rest they may spend to bring joy to someone they love such as a spouse, children, or close friends. Whereas an irresponsible person will take their money and spend some on bills and necessities and the rest on self fulfilling immediate desires.
Similarly The Best Companies use their money responsibly and put it towards higher purposes. They care about the organization that has been created and how its existence contributes toward creation; creation of improved relationships, creation of positive influence, creation of long-term economic stability.
The Best Companies understand that the average employee spends about 36% of their day on work related activities and 32% sleeping. This means that the bulk of our time awake is spent at work. What a person does and how a person feels during the 36% of the day is sure to influence the remaining 32% of "free" time. The quality of a persons life and their contribution - positive or negative - to their community is greatly affected by their working environment. The Best Companies recognize that this is a great opportunity to extend their reach of influence within their community.
What ingredients are necessary to create The Best Companies?
First and foremost is a leader with a a lot of character, integrity, and common sense. If an organization takes on the characteristics of its leader, which characteristics promote the best work environments? There are many good characteristics that can be used to answer this question, but I have chosen the top 5 characteristics that I believe make the greatest impact. Many of the characteristics overlap and contain sub-characteristics but all relate to the overall concepts.
Top 5 in no particular order:
1. Selflessness - Members in any organizational unit are much more effective and efficient when they stop worrying about themselves and focus on the bigger picture. If you think of a company like a person, there are companies that are selfish and companies that care about others. Companies that are not overly concerned with their own well being create an atmosphere of giving and sacrifice. Ironically - for whatever reason - the individual benefits of selflessness seem to outweigh those of self-centeredness. Or in other words, if you care about what's in it for you, then stop caring about what's in if for you, you will get more out of the deal.
2. Integrity - AKA unequivocally doing what is right. This creates an environment of honesty, hard work, responsibility, and accountability. In this environment, doing the right thing requires about as much thought as breathing does.
3. Organization - The Best Companies are organized and ready to go to work. There is organized communication so everybody understands the plan, objectives, and mission. Organization leads to superior training, constant determination, and focus.
4. Tolerance - Employees should feel safe to openly express themselves and their ideas. A tolerant environment makes adaptability seamless and promotes confidence, openness, and even humility. This type of environment will ultimately lead to more ambition - which will lead to more hard work and education - which will lead to exchanging of more ideas - which will allow for risk-taking - which will lead to innovation - which will benefit the customer - and in-turn completely benefit the company.
5. Optimism - An optimistic approach on life is important for generating excitement and ideas. Optimism includes focusing on the positive and giving others the benefit of the doubt. This creates an environment of safety, good attitudes, and energy. Some confuse optimism with naivety but they are not the same. An optimistic realist - as I am self declared - doesn't ignore realities to avoid troubling news, he accepts reality and then finds a way to use it to his advantage.
Incorporating these characteristics will not create an environment of perfection, there will still be challenges and issues that arrise, sometimes even as a product of these environments. However, the negative encounters will not come close to the positive affects.
What affect do these companies have on the economy?
The Best Companies are built on a core of important values that will enable a company to adjust when necessary and weather the difficult economic storms. People want to work for these companies giving them the talent, customers will want to buy the companies products/services, making the company profitable, the company will grow and create more jobs for the people who are lining up to get in. These companies contribute to great long-term economic growth and stability. The 2008 housing bubble crash was a result of a small handful of selfish large Bad Companies followed by a panic of a lot of smaller Good Companies and Bad Companies. 2008 is not the only example of economic turmoil caused by Bad Companies either.
In summary, The Best Companies benefit the lives of their employees, the lives of their customers, the good of the community, the growth and stability of the economy, and ultimately millions of people with an influence over the course of multiple generations.
*I am talking about APX prior to their name and image change. I can't speak for the practices of Vivant but I hear they have improved, for what that's worth.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
The Good, the Bad, and the Profitable
Over the past couple months of my search for a career, I have encountered many different companies across a variety of sectors. I have learned that there are such things as good and bad companies and the definition does not necessarily lie within quarterly profits.
I came across a company called AFA Press. AFA Press is hiring a new International Media Sales Consultant. Upon initial inspection of the job description and summaries, this seemed like an amazing job and I was excited to apply. The position required 100% travel with a small team to countries all over the world. The team would go to a country, gather editorial content for several months, and then head off to the next project. Awesome for a few years right?
I went from thinking, "This is perfect, I don't have a wife or kids or any ties to anything to keep me from so much travel and it would be a great experience to work with different nations and cultures while improving my writing skills, how cool would it be to get this job?" To "I am glad I didn't waste my time and apply, how awful would that have been if I got myself stuck in that?" In only a few hour timeframe.
What compelled me to shift tempos so quickly? I did what I normally do when I start getting really amped up about applying for a job that I am excited about, I started finding out as much about the what the company does as I can in a reasonable amount of time. Luckily, there is not a shortage of information in the internet galaxy about what it is like to work AFA Press.
I was surprised to read about so many discouraging encounters, most testifying of the companies dishonest practices with both their customers and employees. Yes, it is true that there are two sides to every story, and yes we can't believe everything that we read, but it is also true that often where there is smoke, there is a fire. Unless you have a smoke machine, but the smell isn't the same so I think that we can smell the difference between a fire smoke versus other types.
I spent about 3 or 4 hours reading up on this company still debating on whether I should at least give it a chance. What would it hurt if I applied and got interviewed and then decided against it? While there may not have been much damage from furthering my investigation into the company, the thought came into my head, "What are your instincts telling you? Whenever you reason your way out of your instincts what are you the results?" That was the end of that conversation, I closed the search windows and went on with my day.
On the flip side of that, I heard about a company today that offers their employees "paid, paid vacations". The CEO of the company offers his employees $7,500 to go on vacation under the following conditions:
1. You have to actually go on a real vacation.
2. Absolutely no work allowed on the vacation including checking emails, making phone calls, or anything work related at all.
The difference between these two companies has got me thinking about business in a capitalist economy. My next post will examine what I believe makes for a good business and how good businesses strengthen our long-term economic growth.
I came across a company called AFA Press. AFA Press is hiring a new International Media Sales Consultant. Upon initial inspection of the job description and summaries, this seemed like an amazing job and I was excited to apply. The position required 100% travel with a small team to countries all over the world. The team would go to a country, gather editorial content for several months, and then head off to the next project. Awesome for a few years right?
I went from thinking, "This is perfect, I don't have a wife or kids or any ties to anything to keep me from so much travel and it would be a great experience to work with different nations and cultures while improving my writing skills, how cool would it be to get this job?" To "I am glad I didn't waste my time and apply, how awful would that have been if I got myself stuck in that?" In only a few hour timeframe.
What compelled me to shift tempos so quickly? I did what I normally do when I start getting really amped up about applying for a job that I am excited about, I started finding out as much about the what the company does as I can in a reasonable amount of time. Luckily, there is not a shortage of information in the internet galaxy about what it is like to work AFA Press.
I was surprised to read about so many discouraging encounters, most testifying of the companies dishonest practices with both their customers and employees. Yes, it is true that there are two sides to every story, and yes we can't believe everything that we read, but it is also true that often where there is smoke, there is a fire. Unless you have a smoke machine, but the smell isn't the same so I think that we can smell the difference between a fire smoke versus other types.
I spent about 3 or 4 hours reading up on this company still debating on whether I should at least give it a chance. What would it hurt if I applied and got interviewed and then decided against it? While there may not have been much damage from furthering my investigation into the company, the thought came into my head, "What are your instincts telling you? Whenever you reason your way out of your instincts what are you the results?" That was the end of that conversation, I closed the search windows and went on with my day.
On the flip side of that, I heard about a company today that offers their employees "paid, paid vacations". The CEO of the company offers his employees $7,500 to go on vacation under the following conditions:
1. You have to actually go on a real vacation.
2. Absolutely no work allowed on the vacation including checking emails, making phone calls, or anything work related at all.
The difference between these two companies has got me thinking about business in a capitalist economy. My next post will examine what I believe makes for a good business and how good businesses strengthen our long-term economic growth.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Do You Know the Cupcake Girl?
What's up with blogging chicks and cupcakes?
I rarely click on the authors bio of a blog i'm reading unless the blogger is an attractive female. Yep, i'm shallow... who knew? In the last two weeks I have read 5 biographies of attractive female bloggers and 4 of those 5 mentioned something to do with eating a cupcake.
Seriously, these bios are a maximum of 6 sentences. These 4 blogging babes found their passion for baked batter with frosting so important that it ranks among their top qualities they desire their readers to know about who they are as a person.
How could this be?
Are cupcakes 2012's version of what sushi and Mazda 3's were in 2010, VW Beatles were in 2004, and New Kids on the Block were in the late 80's? Or maybe there was one famous blogger somewhere who wrote about a cupcake in her bio and now it's the trendy thing to do? Or maybe it's a marketing ploy by the cupcake industry; they go around to all of the attractive (maybe unattractive too, I wouldn't know... shallow remember?) lady bloggers and give them cupcakes with sprinkles of cocaine on it to get the bloggers hooked so they get a ton of free internet advertising? Genius!
Or...
This Thought Just In: Maybe for some reason I am genetically predisposition to be attracted to girls who love spending more money on a little handheld cake than my sister will spend on my nephew's entire spiderman birthday cake tomorrow?
Yep, it's probably the genetics one.
Well I am glad we got to the bottom of this! What did we learn? We learned that one of the top qualities that I look for in a girl is if she loves the cupcake.
It reminds me of the time that Jerry Seinfeld informed Elaine that she was attracted to a weird guy just because the weird guy couldn't remember anything about her.
Elaine admitted, "But that's so sick!"
To which Jerry replied, "That's God's plan. He doesn't really want anyone to get together."
Seriously, these bios are a maximum of 6 sentences. These 4 blogging babes found their passion for baked batter with frosting so important that it ranks among their top qualities they desire their readers to know about who they are as a person.
How could this be?
Are cupcakes 2012's version of what sushi and Mazda 3's were in 2010, VW Beatles were in 2004, and New Kids on the Block were in the late 80's? Or maybe there was one famous blogger somewhere who wrote about a cupcake in her bio and now it's the trendy thing to do? Or maybe it's a marketing ploy by the cupcake industry; they go around to all of the attractive (maybe unattractive too, I wouldn't know... shallow remember?) lady bloggers and give them cupcakes with sprinkles of cocaine on it to get the bloggers hooked so they get a ton of free internet advertising? Genius!
Or...
Yep, it's probably the genetics one.
Well I am glad we got to the bottom of this! What did we learn? We learned that one of the top qualities that I look for in a girl is if she loves the cupcake.
It reminds me of the time that Jerry Seinfeld informed Elaine that she was attracted to a weird guy just because the weird guy couldn't remember anything about her.
Elaine admitted, "But that's so sick!"
To which Jerry replied, "That's God's plan. He doesn't really want anyone to get together."
Saturday, July 14, 2012
The Secret to the Rise of America - World Power
I recently came across a document, “What Is An American?”, written by J. Hector St. John de Crevecoeur in 1782 discussing the concept of an American. J. Hector St. John de Crevecoeur was born in France, made his way to Canada and served as an officer in a militia. He moved to New York to get a fresh start on life, changed his name, language, occupation, everything. Later he made his way back to France but still held onto his concept of an American.
I really found it fascinating that even though America was just a brand new nation, John de Crevecoeur saw the potential of this place. He discussed the idea of America being a melting pot of acceptance and diversity.
I especially liked how he described the family: An Englishman married to a Dutch woman had a son who married a French woman. The son and the French woman had four sons who each married women from 4 different nations.
Throughout U.S. history, opposition toward immigration has always been prevalent, so it was interesting to read praises in support of the melting pot concept rather than fear of the unique and unknown.
My favorite part of the entire document are these sentences, “Here individuals of all nations are melted into a new race of men, whose labours and posterity will one day cause great changes in the world… The Americans were once scattered all over Europe; here they are incorporated into one of the finest systems of population which has ever appeared, and which will hereafter become distinct by the power of the different climates they inhabit.” And then he continues, “The American is a new man, who acts upon new principles; he must therefore entertain new ideas, and form new opinions.”
I love that! Several races from around the world came together to combine and form a new race of man, acting upon new principles to make the finest system ever to inhabit the world; John de Crevecoeur saw the big picture, he could see the potential that was being established.
John de Crevecoeur also recognized that this great gift of being an American would carry enormous responsibility; “he must therefore entertain new ideas and form new opinions”. In a time where there was little National Pride; our nation was not yet the world power that we have the privilege of growing up in. In a time where the framework was still in the infant stages, John de Crevecoeur almost seemed as if he was able to glimpse into the future to see the influence that this nation would have on the world.
His message was not just to those who inhabited the Americas in 1782, but rather to anyone who chose to become a part of this race – all have the responsibility to continue to seek new, innovated ways to help the progression of mankind, to make the world a better place for all of its inhabitants. The ideas of civil liberties and self-reliance were never meant to be only for the lucky 5% of U.S. citizens; it has always been the intention that this 5% would be the breading ground for new ideas and new opinions that will benefit America as well as the other 95% of mankind.
I really found it fascinating that even though America was just a brand new nation, John de Crevecoeur saw the potential of this place. He discussed the idea of America being a melting pot of acceptance and diversity.
I especially liked how he described the family: An Englishman married to a Dutch woman had a son who married a French woman. The son and the French woman had four sons who each married women from 4 different nations.
Throughout U.S. history, opposition toward immigration has always been prevalent, so it was interesting to read praises in support of the melting pot concept rather than fear of the unique and unknown.
I love that! Several races from around the world came together to combine and form a new race of man, acting upon new principles to make the finest system ever to inhabit the world; John de Crevecoeur saw the big picture, he could see the potential that was being established.
His message was not just to those who inhabited the Americas in 1782, but rather to anyone who chose to become a part of this race – all have the responsibility to continue to seek new, innovated ways to help the progression of mankind, to make the world a better place for all of its inhabitants. The ideas of civil liberties and self-reliance were never meant to be only for the lucky 5% of U.S. citizens; it has always been the intention that this 5% would be the breading ground for new ideas and new opinions that will benefit America as well as the other 95% of mankind.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Are Challenges Opportunity in Disguise?
I was having an interesting conversation with my mom the other day which lead to the following questions:
Why is it natural to not fully appreciate a good thing until it's gone?
Are trials and challenges really for our personal benefit?
Or is it like when we tell ourselves that, the girl who we kinda have a crush on who has been making up lame excuses for why she can't hang out with us, must be a lesbian? Or maybe it's like when we tell ourselves that the jerk who didn't wave in the rearview mirror when you clearly went out of your way to slow down so they could move into your lane, probably learned to drive in Utah and doesn't know any better. You know, whatever it takes to make life a little more bearable.
I took to the internet to answer this question and found reasonable arguments for and against the notion that challenges build character. From my prospective, challenges themselves don't build character, rather they provide opportunity to grow. In an effort to explain this concept more clearly, I broke down the word "character" into several traits that I believe define a strong character. With each trait, I thought of people who I admire and I speculate on how they developed their character trait.
Grateful - Most of us were born into families with at least one loving parent who tried to raise us the best they knew how. From the time we take our first breath everything is provided for us since we are not yet capable of providing for ourself. It's only natural that we only see what we don't have because we come into the world being handed what we need for survival.
True appreciation comes with obtaining something that is difficult to obtain. The harder we have to work or the more we want something, the more satisfied we feel when we get that thing or the more we regret not showing our gratitude once a good thing is taken away from us. Hopefully, we don't end up spending our lives chasing false satisfaction. Those who have the ability to be grateful for what they have now and work hard for that which they desire for the future have more often then not experienced times when they have lost a good thing that they took for granted and times when they had to put forth a lot of hard work to achieve a goal.
Loving/Charitable - From my experience, this seems to be a trait that comes more naturally to women than to men. For whatever reason, I think we have a difficult time selflessly caring about others, especially those we do not personally know. It seems to me that those who are most charitable are people who genuinely love themselves. It could be that as we overcome the challenge of learning to love ourselves (AKA embracing that which makes us unique and forgiving ourselves of our weaknesses), we are then better equipped to project our acquired internal love outwards.
Understanding/Tolerant - Tolerance of others comes with education. As we grow older and experience life we come into contact with people who are different, weird, or quirky. Our own life experiences to this point have lead us to draw conclusions and provide at least a little logic to the decisions we have made. Therefore, if others have not drawn the same conclusions, they must not be rational or logical and something must be wrong with them because something is not wrong with us, right? But then the universe does a funny thing and places us in a situation that would be in our best interest to somehow not allow differences to become the focus. 
Maybe you are working on a common goal together or maybe your ability to perform your job relies on your ability to cooperate with a werido. Whatever the reason, you pretend to like them for the sake of the greater goal. As time goes by and you reach your goal or accomplish whatever it was that forced you to be around the spaz, you come to find out that as you no longer have to spend so much time around them, you don't have to fake like them anymore... because you kinda actually appreciate or respect some aspect of their personality. You realize that, while you still view them as the heavy set boy at the local pool swimming with a t-shirt on, maybe they have a good reason for drawling the conclusions that they have drawn? Or if not that then at least that their positive attributes outweigh the negative.
Patience - Patience takes practice. It's true. Patience comes with age because we encounter enough challenges that rarely get worked out overnight, but yet, the world continues to orbit the sun and life moves on.
Virtuous - Virtue or high moral standards begin with the ability to control what we think. This is yet another trait that takes a lot of practice. Some of those who I have encountered who are best at this are those who have come to a fork in the road, one road leading toward personal control, the other leading toward self-destruction. When they chose the road of personal control, they became good at virtuous thoughts out of necessity; this is not easy and takes a lot of persistence and dedication but with time and practice can be achievable.
Knowledgable/Wise - Knowledge and wisdom come with life experience. When we encounter a situation, we take at least a little away from it and store it away for another time where that experience will help us handle a new experience in a more effective or healthier way. Nobody is born knowledgeable or wise, knowledge and wisdom are a gift of being alive.
I believe that challenges can be a blessing or a curse dependent upon prospective. In the end, personal growth only matters if you want it to matter. We all are going to face our fair share of challenges and obstacles, I don't believe that challenges are given to us based on what we can handle, but I do believe that whether we think we can handle them or not, they are going to keep coming. We have little control over most of the challenges we will encounter but we have a lot of control about how we are going to view them.
Is the challenge, trial, obstacle, hardship, misfortune, etc. a blessing, a curse, or an opportunity? I'm not one to pretent that I have all the answers. I have opinions but my opinions change all the time. If you have an opinion about the purpose or lack thereof regarding challenges and character, please express it with a comment.
Why is it natural to not fully appreciate a good thing until it's gone?
Are trials and challenges really for our personal benefit?
Or is it like when we tell ourselves that, the girl who we kinda have a crush on who has been making up lame excuses for why she can't hang out with us, must be a lesbian? Or maybe it's like when we tell ourselves that the jerk who didn't wave in the rearview mirror when you clearly went out of your way to slow down so they could move into your lane, probably learned to drive in Utah and doesn't know any better. You know, whatever it takes to make life a little more bearable.
I took to the internet to answer this question and found reasonable arguments for and against the notion that challenges build character. From my prospective, challenges themselves don't build character, rather they provide opportunity to grow. In an effort to explain this concept more clearly, I broke down the word "character" into several traits that I believe define a strong character. With each trait, I thought of people who I admire and I speculate on how they developed their character trait.
Grateful - Most of us were born into families with at least one loving parent who tried to raise us the best they knew how. From the time we take our first breath everything is provided for us since we are not yet capable of providing for ourself. It's only natural that we only see what we don't have because we come into the world being handed what we need for survival.
Patience - Patience takes practice. It's true. Patience comes with age because we encounter enough challenges that rarely get worked out overnight, but yet, the world continues to orbit the sun and life moves on.
I believe that challenges can be a blessing or a curse dependent upon prospective. In the end, personal growth only matters if you want it to matter. We all are going to face our fair share of challenges and obstacles, I don't believe that challenges are given to us based on what we can handle, but I do believe that whether we think we can handle them or not, they are going to keep coming. We have little control over most of the challenges we will encounter but we have a lot of control about how we are going to view them.
Is the challenge, trial, obstacle, hardship, misfortune, etc. a blessing, a curse, or an opportunity? I'm not one to pretent that I have all the answers. I have opinions but my opinions change all the time. If you have an opinion about the purpose or lack thereof regarding challenges and character, please express it with a comment.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
What If?
What if there were no accidents?
What if we could see the meaning in it all?
The good times; the tough times; the happiness; the sadness; the pointlessness; the obvious; the passion; the depression; when emotions rule supreme; when exhaustion declares mental Martial Law.
I am fascinated by the notion of how the smallest event can subtly shift the course of a life; shaping and defining character, providing directions to specific invaluable individuals, transmit guidance to a particular time and place.
As I continue my job search, I recognize, not only would I have been taken down a specific life path had I been offered and accepted any of the positions I have thus far interviewed for, but even though I feel a lack of progression (sitting around looking for work, playing MLB The Show on Play Station, watching TV, wearing the same clothes pretty much every day all week) there are small events that are taking place that are changing my view of the world (maybe i'm supposed to be a little more cynical?).
I like to think that there is a force orchestrating these plans for mankind. So until science can definitively prove that we are all walking, talking accidents, or until Jesus falls out of the sky to preach His sermons, or anything in-between, I choose to believe in a meaningful, thought-out life... Follow my blog for the next 30 years or so to see how it plays out.
PS I bet you thought this post would be more patriotic coming from me the day before the 4th... Gotcha!
What if we could see the meaning in it all?
The good times; the tough times; the happiness; the sadness; the pointlessness; the obvious; the passion; the depression; when emotions rule supreme; when exhaustion declares mental Martial Law.
I am fascinated by the notion of how the smallest event can subtly shift the course of a life; shaping and defining character, providing directions to specific invaluable individuals, transmit guidance to a particular time and place.
As I continue my job search, I recognize, not only would I have been taken down a specific life path had I been offered and accepted any of the positions I have thus far interviewed for, but even though I feel a lack of progression (sitting around looking for work, playing MLB The Show on Play Station, watching TV, wearing the same clothes pretty much every day all week) there are small events that are taking place that are changing my view of the world (maybe i'm supposed to be a little more cynical?).
I like to think that there is a force orchestrating these plans for mankind. So until science can definitively prove that we are all walking, talking accidents, or until Jesus falls out of the sky to preach His sermons, or anything in-between, I choose to believe in a meaningful, thought-out life... Follow my blog for the next 30 years or so to see how it plays out.
PS I bet you thought this post would be more patriotic coming from me the day before the 4th... Gotcha!
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