Recent news stories point to improved job prospects and increased pay to go with them. This is encouraging if you have the credentials (read: degree and/or certification) your prospective employer is looking for, but what if you don’t?

At a recent convention I attended, I heard a keynote speech that inspired this post. I’ll share more of what I learned from that talk in Part 2, but first I want to encourage you to become an entrepreneur. Instead of waiting for someone to hire you, why not start your own company and be the boss?

Let’s be clear: I’m not suggesting that you pull a Costanza and make up a Vandelay Industries. Nor am I talking about falling into the trap of turk work and setting yourself up for obsolescence. Instead, I mean that you should develop a product or service and the plan for delivering it — and then you should deliver it as profitably as you can.

Make your own luck

Let’s talk about the upsides, starting with creating your own momentum and your own luck. Now before you think there’s this mystical force our there called Luck that runs parallel to God, let me clarify. What people call luck is actually the meeting of preparation and attention. When you’ve done the homework and acquired and/or mastered the knowledge of your marketplace, you’ll harness the positive power of confirmation bias. As I’ve written before, when you drive an old Volvo, you start to see them everywhere.

When you’ve developed expertise in your chosen market, you’ll see opportunities everywhere. Then, if you’re confident and diligent, you’ll pursue the more promising opportunities. And if your preparation includes the cultivation of some selling skills, you’ll close some business. Then people will consider you lucky.

One man from my hometown used to like to say that the harder he worked the luckier he got. I got it back then, and I still remember it. I also appreciate the saying attributed to Thomas Edison that goes like this: Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.

Be your own boss

Becoming an entrepreneur has another huge upside: you are your own boss. Unless you’re also highly self-motivated, that’s also the downside. Every day, you’re going to have to summon your motivation, your desire to get things done or they won’t get done.

By the way, this is the same skill you need to manage your career, as I discussed in this post.

But… It takes money

Yes, it’s true that you have to have some money to get started, but not as much as you may think. For most entrepreneurial enterprises, you aren’t going to need your own skyscraper and helipad — at least, not at first. Some people with landscaping businesses started with not much more than a lawnmower and a willingness to sweat. Other people have figured out how to open online stores on a shoestring budget. Web domains are very inexpensive — and there are lots of free tutorials that can help you design your website and launch your business.

Chris Guillebeau wrote a book called The 100-Dollar Startup. You may find just the idea you need there.

Be prepared to learn

There are lessons everywhere, many are free. There are online publications, podcasts, and webinars devoted to entrepreneurship. There are books on management and leadership in your public library (you do have a library card, right?). And there are local entrepreneurs who want to share what they know. But reading and discussing aren’t the only sources of lessons.

In the kicker above, I said you should expect to fail. This is because you will likely fail in your first attempts at entrepreneurship. Many times. Failure can bruise your ego, but it is also a rich mine of hard-won knowledge.

This is one reason why silicon valley types talk about failing faster. This means you should embrace the probability and learn to shrug off the sting of failure in order to acquire the lessons that will come through the failure and keep going. Author, speaker, and success coach Michael Hyatt says it this way: “In my world there is no failure — only learning.”

Success comes from good judgment…

I know I’ve quoted him before, but Arthur Jones, the eccentric creator of Nautilus Fitness equipment used to say, “Success in life comes from good judgment. Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgment.” I hope you see that to make your way in the world and provide for yourself and your household, you will have to endure some seasons of suck. Don’t let it throw you — you’re learning.

Congratulations, You’re a Technician

One lesson that arrived for me fairly recently was in Michael Gerber’s book Beyond the e-Myth. Gerber says that if your enterprise can’t function without your hand on it, you’re not an entrepreneur — you’re a technician. He prescribes the creation of methods and systems that will enable you to delegate the functions of and to increase the scale of your business.

A business has products and is a product

The last bit is important because in addition to having products, a business is a product in itself. If you’re truly an entrepreneur, you’ll enjoy the thrill of the launch, but become bored with the operations side of things. In that case, you’re going to have operators who can implement your systems, or you’re going to need to find a buyer who’ll operate what you’ve built. You can make money either way, but the key is to work on your business instead of just working in it..

Coming up

We’ll talk about insights I gained from that keynote address.

So how about you? What’s preventing you from becoming an entrepreneur? What do you have to lose? Add your comments below.

Note: I have linked to a couple of books on Amazon. I do not receive any compensation for doing so — these are two books I have bought and read and I am comfortable recommending them.

News flash: water is wet

If you spend time on any of the leading social nets (with the possible exception of Instagram) you have probably noticed the digital incarnation of Orwell’s Two Minutes Hate where, in the novel, the population was instructed to vent their frustration at poor Emmanuel Goldstein. And lately there seems to be an exponential increase in the number of Emmanuel Goldsteins.

Thought crime

And what offenses have the objects of this hatred committed? Usually, it’s commenting in the negative on some topic dear to the dominant group. Sometimes, though rarely, it’s an act of defiance. Other times it’s merely having the wrong facial expression. The most important aspect is that the miscreant is bucking the system. But I want to illustrate that this is nothing new.

Imagine a group of young men in a strange city — a seat of government and power. And for daring to affirm their beliefs they paid a terrible price.

If you think I’m talking about Washington, DC, in 2019, read on.

Was it something I said?

In the Old Testament book of Daniel, we read the story about three Hebrew young men named Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah who had been taken captive and carried to Babylon where they received training to become wise men, sages, and seers. Although their captors gave them the Babylonian names Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, these three, along with their companion Daniel, did their best to live in a way to please their God. As you’ll see, this desire made them different. As the Japanese proverb says, “The nail that sticks up gets beaten down.”

Sic semper tyrannis

The Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar, was the fulfillment of Lord Acton’s famous saying that power tends to corrupt and absolute power tends to corrupt absolutely. King Nebuchadnezzar set up a 90-foot-tall golden statue for the people to worship. He called all the important people in his government together and told them that whenever they heard music, they had to drop what they were doing and worship the statue. Talk about a power trip!

But it’s worse, because like most tyrants, Nebuchadnezzar added the threat of violence. Anybody who resisted the king’s order to worship would be burned alive in a furnace.

Command performance

The text doesn’t tell us what kind of meeting (if any) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego held to decide their response, but it is clear they chose not to obey the king’s order. Let’s join the story already in progress:

⁸ Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. ⁹ They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! ¹⁰ You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. ¹¹ And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. ¹² There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
¹³ Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. ¹⁴ Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? ¹⁵ Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”

-Daniel 3: 8-15 (ESV)

Turning up the heat

Our friends are in for it now — they’ve been ratted out by their rivals and confronted directly by an angry king. By the way, it’s always a bad idea to make your leader look bad in front of his followers, but in this case, the three young men knew that they were subjects of a higher king. Look at how they answered the enraged ruler:

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. ¹⁷ If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.¹⁸ But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

– Daniel 3: 16 – 18 (ESV)

And a surprise ending

The king, royally angry, commanded the heat of the furnace be turned up seven times hotter than usual and he had Shadrach, Meshach, and Adednego tied up and thrown into the furnace. The writer tells us that some of the executioners were killed by the heat as they threw the three men into the fire. An important detail given what happens next.

Nebuchadnezzar and his followers looked with fiendish satisfaction into the death chamber and were astonished to see the three men walking around in the fire, untied, and not being consumed at all. And even more surprising, there was a fourth man walking around in the fire with them. The Babylonians described his appearance as “like a son of the gods.”

The king called to the three men and asked them to come out of the fire. When they did, their clothes didn’t even smell like smoke. The God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego saved them.

What can we learn from their example?

Don’t go looking for trouble

Let’s start with knowing what you believe and why. I’ve written on many occasions about the need for cultivating a biblical worldview. The clash with an increasingly hostile culture makes this more important than ever. When you are grounded and established in your frame of reference, you don’t need a guru to tell you whether a policy or a law is moral or immoral, and you will also have the tools to understand when these terms are being used by others to try to control you.

The text doesn’t say, but I don’t think the three Hebrew lads had to discuss their response to the king’s command to idol-worship. Notice also that they didn’t taunt the king to call attention to their disobedience. They simply refused to comply.

But don’t run from it

When you’re among a people who prize going along with the crowd, you can bet someone will notice if you aren’t going along. And when the go-along gang rats you out to the authorities, the correct example is that of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Their answer was clear and direct, with no finger-pointing of blame shifting. And, I would add, no whining about the consequences.

Speak the truth in love – and don’t forget the love

In this story, the king seems to understand that what is at stake is his personal supremacy versus that of the God of his Hebrew captives. I marvel at the brazen challenge offered by Nebuchadnezzar: “And who is the god that will deliver you out of my hands?” But I’m more amazed by the calm firmness of the answer — our God is able to deliver us from anything, but if he chooses not to, we will still serve him.

Again, notice the lack of trash talk, the lack of anger. Given the positions of authority the three men held, they likely earned their jobs based on faithful performance over time. They probably enjoyed a good relationship with the king as his trusted advisers. Perhaps they even loved him.

In this context, their refusal to worship the statue must have seemed to the king like a betrayal. In response, he threatened their lives and they responded with grace and truth.

Trust God

When the fertilizer contacts the rotating blades, trusting God is all that is left, and all that matters. If you’re His, you can be certain He holds you in His hands. God rescued Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the furnace, and He can rescue you from whatever version this age devises to punish dissidents. But — and this is important — God is not obligated to rescue you, me, or anyone from pain or suffering in this world.

I know this may sound unfair, but the people who tell you God only wants His servants to be healthy, wealthy, and wise — flying only in first-class, and owning the priciest sports cars — are selling something. If you want to know the score, look at Jesus’ personal inner circle from his earthly ministry, the twelve apostles, and at the outcomes of their lives, and you’ll understand that this life is not principally about our comfort.

If you’re sure you’re right, you don’t have to yell

If you believe what Jesus said — that we will know the Truth and the Truth will set us free — then you have all the volume you need. It isn’t necessary to pound the table or shout the other side down. You may receive the gift of supernatural deliverance. You may persuade people around you through your dignified words and demeanor. And you may lose everything this world counts as precious. But take heart — this world does not get the last word, God does.

So how about you? In what ways are you cultivating a biblical worldview? How do you see dissent being punished? Add your comments below.

I worked with a colleague who took particular delight in reciting the title of this post — the first part, anyway — whenever anyone began a statement with, “I hope…” To be fair to my colleague, I think he believed he was demonstrating leadership. But to his poor followers it just came across as peevish and small-minded — especially since he always did it. Without fail. More than once in a meeting if his pupils were too slow to get it the first time around.

Imagine your own real-life Michael Scott waiting to pounce with his, “That’s what she said!” and you’ll get the idea how tiresome his subordinates found it. We kept hoping he’d quit, but since we’d had it pounded into our heads for too long, I decided to put his lesson to practice.

True confessions

I do not want you to think I set an ambush for the fearless leader. I did not. But following another meeting, I ended up having a one-on-one conversation with him, and he asked about the status of some information from a third-party entity. I replied, sincerely, that I expected it to arrive that day and hoped to review it that same afternoon.

Of course he replied, “Hope is not a strategy.” “True,” I answered, “but try living without it.”

The essential nature of hope

You may have heard something like this in the past: A human being can live forty days without food, three days without water, four minutes without oxygen, but only a second without hope. While that may not be 100% accurate from a medical perspective, consider the significant role that our state of mind plays in our overall health.

A 2007 Harvard University study indicated that feelings of hopefulness and curiosity throughout one’s life correlated to lower rates of heart disease and diabetes decades later. And I think most of us have heard of or seen characters in stories that lost the will to live and withered away.

Hope — the belief that there is more than just what my circumstances tell me — is a key ingredient in resilience. You may have already noticed that life will knock you down at times. Hope and resilience will enable you to get back up and keep moving toward your objective.

Hope as a weapon

Hope is essential to human well-being. Tyrants know this, so they seek to extinguish hope in order to break the will of their subjects. The most famous example is from Dante’s Inferno, where according to the poet, the sign above the gates of Hell reads “Abandon hope, all ye who enter here.” So quite literally, Hell is the absence of hope.

But hope is not a strategy

Let’s clarify what we mean, when we say this. If you tell me you hope to land a great job, but when I ask you how you plan to do that, you don’t have an answer, I’d say your hope for that job is not sufficient. It isn’t a plan that will lead to actions that will lead to the desired outcome. In that sense, your hope is not a strategy.

On the other hand, if you tell me that you have updated your resume and your LinkedIn profile, you’re working your network, and seeking contacts at your desired employer, and that you feel hopeful, I would offer to help you find that job. See the difference?

Hope is only as good as its object

Gauzy hope for the sake of hope is truly useless. Preparation with hope is priceless. And placing your hope in God — who knows you, loves you, and holds you in His hands is irreplaceable.

The apostle Paul told the church at Colosse that Christ in them was, “the hope of glory,” meaning that an ultimate end of living in and following Him was a guarantee that things will turn out for their good and God’s fame. In this sense, hoping in God is a winning strategy — one worth adopting.

So how about you? In what are you placing your hope? Add your comments below.

While we celebrate the incarnation of Christ Jesus, I want to ask you to consider the example of a man who was indispensable to the Christmas story — Joseph the carpenter.

Meet Joseph

When we first meet Joseph in the Bible, he is defined in terms of his relationships — as the son of his father, Jacob, and the husband of Mary, the mother of Christ (Matthew 1:16).  From there we learn that Joseph was engaged to Mary, and that Mary was pregnant by God the Holy Spirit.

Joseph’s choices

Although Joseph could have avenged his honor and had Mary stoned to death for her supposed adultery, instead he made up his mind to break their engagement quietly.  But instead, a messenger of God — an angel — appeared to Joseph and told him not to be afraid to proceed with the marriage, because Mary was carrying God’s son.  So Joseph obeyed God.  The only other narrative mentions of Joseph in the Gospel according to Matthew show him moving his family to safety in Egypt, and later to Nazareth to avoid murderous and corrupt rulers.

Family ties

In the Gospel according to Luke, we see Joseph taking his bride to his ancestral home, Bethlehem, because of a census decree.  Jesus was born there just as it had been prophesied.  Bethlehem was significant because Joseph was descended from King David — the greatest king of Israel — and the prophecies regarding the messiah told that he would be the son of David.

Joseph’s greatness

Despite the slight number of scripture verses in which Joseph appears, his impact is tremendous.  Christmas could not have happened without him.  Here are the lessons I take from the life of Joseph:

• No whining — According to the genealogy of Jesus, Joseph could well have been the rightful heir to the throne of King David.  Instead he was a tradesman –a carpenter.  We do not have any account that suggests Joseph complained about his station in life, or about the circumstances he and his fiancée found themselves in.
• No drama — When it appeared Mary had been unfaithful to him, his love for her caused him not to want to subject her to disgrace.  His plan was to quietly send her away.
• Faithful — Joseph is described as a man of noble character.  Although this is not unheard of in the offspring of kings, it is by no means guaranteed.  Note that Joseph willingly accepted the role of Jesus’ earthly father, even though scripture tells us he did not have marital relations with Mary until after the birth of Jesus.  That is, he took the responsibility without any immediate gratification.
• Devout — We see Joseph hearing from God via angels and dreams, so we must conclude that he was seeking God’s wisdom.  Elsewhere we see him presenting the newborn Jesus to be dedicated at the temple, according to the law.  Certainly Joseph revered God to have ingrained such habits of belief and practice.
• Obedient — When God communicated His will to Joseph, it appears Joseph went straight to it.  Human nature was no different in Joseph’s day than it is in ours, so clearly Joseph must have known he’d have to deal with the whispers and gossip of his neighbors.  Based on the information given us in the Bible, he didn’t let anything deter him.
• Cool as the other side of the pillow — When evil Herod wanted to kill the newborn King of the Jews, Joseph got instructions to take Mary and Jesus into Egypt to escape Herod’s murderous intent.  And he just did it.  When news reached Joseph that Herod had died, God let him know it was safe to move back to Israel.  Again, he simply moved, although he did avoid Herod’s son by settling in Nazareth. (This decision fulfilled another prophecy regarding Jesus – this is why Jesus was considered a Nazarene.)

About the painting:  This is “Saint Joseph and the Infant Christ” painted by Baciccio — also known as Giovanni Battista Gaulli.  I love this portrayal of Joseph — his expression conveys such love, wonder and reverence.  What genuine nobility!  What a man!  

So how about you?  What of Joseph’s example can you put to work in your life?  Add your comments below.

You may or may not find yourself in the situations described by David Byrne & co., but if you’re in the US, it’s almost certain you will find yourself sitting down to a grand Thanksgiving dinner later this week. Grandmother and or Mom will break out the fine china and the silverware and in addition to showing your appreciation for all their hard work, you’ll want to show them you’re a gentleman. So today, let’s review table manners.

The main idea

Same as it ever was…

We’ve talked about this before, but the main idea regarding manners is to put the maximum number of people around you at ease. Even if you do something wrong, do not make a big deal of it. If it’s inescapable — for example if you burp loudly and unexpectedly — acknowledge it and apologize with the fewest words possible. Otherwise, don’t call attention to it. Likewise, don’t call attention to the faults of others.

If this is the main holiday meal, make it a point to show up groomed and dressed appropriately. Now, you’re at the table.

What are all these silverware pieces for?

So much of a man’s dining these days is uber-casual, so it can be baffling to sit down in front of what appears to be Aunt Tiffy’s utensil collection. Relax, you can handle this. First: remember the outside-in rule. The pieces in front of you are laid down so you can reach them in the order in which they’ll be used. Too complicated? If salad comes before the entree, your (smaller) salad fork is to the left of your (larger) dinner fork. Your soup or fruit spoon is to the right (outside) your coffee or dessert spoon. See? I told you you can do it.

The napkin

These things don’t require a user’s manual, but here’s the deal: Spread it across your lap the moment you sit down. If you get up during the meal and you’re coming back, leave it folded in your seat. If you’re not coming back, place it beside your plate (not ON the plate). Use your napkin to wipe food residue from your lips (including that Movember work of art) and or your fingertips. If you must cough or sneeze at the table, use it to cover your mouth. But for the love of Mike, do NOT blow your nose into your napkin. In fact, don’t blow your nose at the table. Excuse yourself from the table and go to the bathroom or another room to blow your nose.

Head, shoulders, knees, and toes

Keep all your body parts in their proper places. Sit up straight with your weight on your sit bones and your shoulders back and down. This way you’ll avoid looking like a blob or like you forgot to take the hanger out of your shirt before you put it on.

While the meal is underway, do not rest your elbows on the table — not even one elbow. Between courses, it’s permissible to let one or both hands rest on the table, and even an elbow during after-dinner conversation.

Traffic flow

If your family is like mine, the commencement of the big meal may occur later than you’re used to. In your hunger, the temptation will be to load your plate and devil take the hindmost. If you do this, dish after dish will accumulate at your place, while family members downstream from you will remain unfed. They will fume. This is not good. (Don’t ask me how I know this.) Make it a point to take or not take some of what comes to you, but be sure to pass it to the next person at the table.

Butter your plate, then your bread

If you’re suspending your low-carb eating plan for the meal or the day, here’s how to keep the butter pristine: Slice off what you need and place the pat of butter on your bread plate (at 10 o’clock above your forks) or on the edge of your dinner plate. From there, use your dinner knife to apply the butter to your bread. Break your bread — don’t take a bite out of it. Break off a bite at a time.

Conversation: Keep it Light

You may be a passionate supporter of The Donald. Or of Bernie. Or you may be a member of an anarcho-syndicalist commune. Whatever, dude. When you’re all together around the table, stick to topics that emphasize what you all share. You may be able to persuade Uncle Don to change his political inclination, but I doubt it. He’s a stubborn old guy. But even if he weren’t, the table is no place for an exorcism.

A few extra tips

Do:
Chew with your mouth closed
Express appreciation
Say,  “Please pass the _____,” rather than just reaching for it
Include everyone in the conversation — even the little ones

Don’t:
Talk with your mouth full
Take the last roll without asking
Use profanity or talk about sexual or excretory subjects at the table

Bonus tip: Offer to help clean up after dinner. You might even get nominated for sainthood.

So how about you? What essential should I have included? Add your comment below.

“Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.
– Proverbs 22: 29 (ESV)

When I was a graduate student, the Institute had a series of guest lectures intended to enhance and broaden our thinking.  Attendance was mandatory.

I can’t recall all the topics, but they ranged from Creativity to Ethics to building a successful career.  It’s this last that I want to share with you.

This one goes up to 12! Crank up your career by learning from the ones who went before you.

Dr. Louis T. Rader held a doctorate in electrical engineering and was retired from General Electric.  Following his retirement from GE, he taught in the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.

His dress was conservative and his manner of speech was direct, and he had what military veterans would call command presence.  His no-nonsense demeanor and delivery, however, belied the wit that made his words to us that day so memorable.

He spoke to us for some time about his own experiences as a young manager and then he shared some principles for career success he called “Rader’s Rules.”  Here, to the best of my memory, is what he offered us:

1.  Never run out of money — it’s a quick way to lose confidence.

2.  There can be no compromise between a poor player and a great organization.

3.  Good calculus won’t cover poor math.

4. If you play games with people, people will play games with you.

5. The sum of all expenses must be less than the sum of all revenues.

6.  The man who goes to bed early to save the cost of a candle will wake up the father of twins.

7.  It’s hard to lead a large organization from a subordinate position.

8. As long as you remain in neutral, you can only go where you’re pushed.

9. You can’t sell the second if you can’t sell the first.

10. When the quarterback says go around left end, you go around left end.

11. Anybody off the street can run a business at a loss.

12. Statistics are for losers.

13. If you don’t get the facts, the facts will get you.

This is an incomplete listing, but I offer this as food for thought for you.  If you are in the early years of your career, or are seeking to begin it, there is great wisdom in these eight phrases.  So much wisdom, in fact, I continue to apply these axioms as I continue to navigate my career decades in.

Please note the theme of integrity that runs through these sayings.  Each of us owes it to himself and to his employer to view himself, the company where he works and his circumstances clearly.  As famed stage magician Teller says, “The biggest lie is the one you tell yourself.”

Note also the emphasis on getting the fundamentals down.  Your talent may get you into a meeting, but a weak handshake or a lack of eye contact may sink your chances.  Or to use another example, you may have gotten the order, but is it profitable?

My personal favorite is rule number 6.  Taking shortcuts or falling for the false economy invariably creates unintended consequences that cost more in the long run.

I hope these will stick with you the way they have with me.

So how about you?  What’s the best career advice you’ve received?  Add your comments below.

Note: A hat tip to Walter Curt, a former associate of Dr. Rader’s for providing some more of Rader’s Rules.

“Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.”
– Proverbs 22:29 (ESV)

I’ve been a musician since my early teens — ever since I spent an entire summer harvesting tobacco –by hand! — to buy my first bass guitar and my first amp.  And while I was proud of myself for earning the money and owning the equipment, I was immediately confronted with the task of learning to play.  (Note: It is possible to own musical gear and not be able to play it.  These people are called collectors.)

One of the tools of the trade. But it’s only an object unless you learn to use it.

Although I started with lessons, I was prideful and thought all that music theory was boring, so I quit wasting Mom’s money and learned to play by ear.  That worked reasonably well until my mid 20’s, when I became aware that there were entire genres I could not play because I didn’t understand the rules.  Slowly, I began to come around to the belief that learning music theory would make me a better musician.

Not long after I began this process, PBS ran a series hosted by jazz great Wynton Marsalis.  Although I was not a huge fan of jazz at the time, I appreciated the way Marsalis explained music from a musician’s point of view.  My favorite episode was titled “Taming the Monster” and it was about the why and how of practice.  Wynton Marsalis laid out his rules for getting the most from time spent practicing.  He called them “Wynton’s Ways to Practice.”  What appears below is a transcription of my handwritten notes.*   I have found these useful not only for ordering my time in the woodshed, but also for living with greater effectiveness.

WYNTON’S WAYS TO PRACTICE

1. Seek out private instruction – the best you can afford.

2. Write out a practice schedule.  Cover all the fundamentals of your instrument.

3. Set realistic goals to chart your development.

4. Concentrate when practicing.

5. Relax.  Practice slowly.

6. Practice longer on things you can’t play – (the hard parts).

7. Play everything as if it’s important/difficult/interesting/serious – always play with maximum expression.

8. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you make a mistake.

9. Don’t show off.

10. Think for yourself.

11. Be optimistic.

12. Look for connections between your music and other things.

Whether or not you’re a musician, this is excellent advice.  Try to apply Wyntons’ Ways to Practice to your hobbies, your work, your fitness regimen and your spiritual life and let me know how it works for you.

So how about you?  In what area of your life can you use these techniques?  Add your comments below.

*Clearly, the credit belongs to Wynton Marsalis, even though my notes may contain direct quotations and paraphrased sections.

“If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”
-Romans 12:18 (ESV)

In Rock Hill, South Carolina, a judge recently vacated the sentences of nine civil rights activists who were arrested and convicted in the 1960’s. Their crime was sitting at the same lunch counter as whites in a local five and dime store — a violation of the Jim Crow laws of the time that demanded separation of the races.

Although it took more than 50 years for this injustice to be overturned in the court system, the Friendship Nine as they are known have been hailed as civil rights pioneers and lauded for their courage and willingness to confront the immorality of racial segregation — even though it cost them.

“..the problems of three little people don’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world.” Stand out anyway.

There will come a time in your life when you will recognize that something isn’t right.  You’ll think to yourself, or say aloud, “Somebody ought to do something.”  And then you’ll realize — “It’s got to be me.”

When that moment comes, will you be ready to accept the challenge?  Here’s a sonnet from the poetry corner:

Stand

There comes a time to stand for what you know
To be the right, whatever be the cost.
Then get you up to speak, or do, or go
To fill some gaping breach, though you be tossed
From wave to towering wave, while dervish winds
Pull sail from yard, and blind your eyes with spray.
Do what you must; go fight beside your friends;
Do what you can, and more; go seize the day.
Fear not the foe, and damn the shores alee.
To win the fight, you must run to the van.
The valiant prisoner’s heart may yet be free;
The coward’s heart is chained, and never can.
Go fight your fight; you must do what you ought.
It’s better fought and lost than never fought.”
– Mark Lukey

Speaking out against powerful people and their interests is not without cost or consequences. Take note of that old Japanese proverb, “The nail that sticks up gets beaten down.”  When Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. engaged in civil disobedience, he understood that his breaking of unjust laws would still result in his going to jail. He did it anyway.

Likewise, if you are called to raise your hand or your voice against some wrong, you shouldn’t be surprised should you encounter opposition.  No one can guarantee your success or assure your safety. Our society is as polarized as I have ever seen, and the lengths to which some people will go over mere differences of opinion is still surprising to me.

Even so, we must not allow ourselves to be cowed into silence. There really is such a thing as evil in the world and, as Edmund Burke said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” Whatever battle we’re called to, let’s prepare ourselves to do the right thing.

So how about you? What conversation or issue have you been avoiding? Haul it out into the daylight, kiss it on the mouth and watch it die. Add your comments below.

Note: I’m re-running this post in honor and memory of Mr. James Wells — one of the Friendship Nine — who died Sunday, July 8, at age 77.

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”
– Colossians 3:23 (NIV)

Congratulations! You got the job! Now what? If you’re just entering the work force, or changing to a new job, you wouldn’t be human if your excitement didn’t also contain a bit of apprehension. This is natural, as starting a new job is one of the top causes of stress. If you’re feeling anxious and wondering what your new boss is expecting from you, here are some tips to help you come through as you were designed to.

You’re working by choice — don’t do it like you have a gun to your head!

Deliver

In a previous post, I explained the importance of delivering results in every circumstance. You landed the job because your employer believes in your ability to produce. The best roles are those that allow you to measure your progress, to see the worth you generate. So your first task is to determine from your boss’s point of view what a great job looks like and deliver that. All day. Every day.

High speed

The workplace is changing and the pace is quicker than ever. Even if your business is to serve other businesses, your clients are consumers in their daily lives, with the same expectations of a predictably enjoyable experience and a quick, trouble-free transaction. Your task is to develop the knowledge and skill to deliver your output quickly and consistently.

Low drag

Management expert Peter Drucker foretold the rise of the knowledge economy — where most workers didn’t make things, they dealt in knowledge and information. Even for those still working in manufacturing, there is a substantial knowledge component that has accounted for unparalleled increases in productivity. No matter what your role, bring your brain to work and use it. Learn the procedures your employer requires and if you see ways to improve them, think through the business case for your proposed changes and present them to your boss.

Low drama

Unless you work for the owner of the company, odds are your boss has a boss. He (or she) has his own set of problems and doesn’t need you creating new ones. In particular your boss doesn’t want to solve problems for you that you could solve yourself. Ditto, refereeing disputes between you and other employees or departments.

You can distinguish yourself by being pleasant, helpful and above office politics. Getting along with your co-workers is important, but getting your work done is more important. Don’t linger at the coffee machine and stay clear of the temptation to enter into other people’s drama.

Promptness

When you get an assignment, make sure you understand when your boss needs your work. If you get a vague answer, propose a specific date — “Close of business on Friday?” It’s very important to hit these deadlines consistently. See the item above.

Punctuality

If work begins at 8:00, by all means be there at your station at 8:00. This means you are groomed, dressed in proper work attire and ready to produce. Life happens, and you may oversleep or be sick one day. Understand your company’s attendance policy and make sure you notify your boss if you run into trouble. Do right and you have less to worry about.

Diligence

Unless you’re punching a clock and your boss tells you not to stay past your scheduled work time, you’ll earn credibility by solving problems, and by sticking with the effort until you do.

Reliability

It will take time, but becoming a consistent performer will create more opportunities for you. Your boss will recommend you for increased (read better-paying) positions in your company. Let me add that you will fail from time to time, but being reliably resilient will also enhance your reputation.

Confidence

Part of being new in a job is taking in all the specific tasks you have to master while also learning the culture of your company as well as the cultures of the company’s customers and suppliers. Being open to the process, and sure of your ability to grasp all of this will help you succeed. My friends in recovery like to say, “Fake it ’til you make it.” Interestingly, behaving confidently will help you to become more confident — a virtuous circle. Just make sure your confidence rests ultimately on a foundation of achievement.

Humility

Confidence and humility are not opposites. You can be confident in your abilities while still humble enough to recognize that you still have a lot to learn. This means that when your boss offers correction or criticism, you ask clarifying questions, but you don’t offer excuses. It’s even better if you can repeat to your boss — in your own words — your understanding of the corrective action you are to take.

Also, it is not necessary to apologize for not knowing something — unless it’s a policy you received on your first day at work. Save apologies for genuine offenses and accept the lessons your boss is offering you.

Chemistry

Working musicians in Nashville don’t necessarily find work according to their musical virtuosity. Above a certain level of talent, it’s very hard to rank one player over another. Instead, the players who get more work are the ones who are known as “a good hang.” This means someone good to be around. Performing is a relatively small fraction of a musician’s time, so being good company makes the work more enjoyable.

Your boss is not looking for a new best friend, but he is looking for a capable associate who is also enjoyable to interact with. Master these tips while you learn the fundamentals of your job and you’ll be in demand over the course of your career.

So how about you? Which of these attributes do you need to work on to excel in your job? What have I missed? Add your comments below.

“Find something, found something, or fund something.” – Bob Shank

Recent news stories point to improved job prospects and increased pay to go with them. This is encouraging if you have the credentials (read: degree and/or certification) your prospective employer is looking for, but what if you don’t?

At a recent convention I attended, I heard a keynote speech that inspired this post. I’ll share more of what I learned from that talk in Part 2, but first I want to encourage you to become an entrepreneur. Instead of waiting for someone to hire you, why not start your own company and be the boss?

Let’s be clear: I’m not suggesting that you pull a Costanza and make up a Vandelay Industries. Nor am I talking about falling into the trap of turk work and setting yourself up for obsolescence. Instead, I mean that you should develop a product or service and the plan for delivering it — and then you should deliver it as profitably as you can.

When you drive one, you see them everywhere!

Make your own luck

Let’s talk about the upsides, starting with creating your own momentum and your own luck. Now before you think there’s this mystical force our there called Luck that runs parallel to God, let me clarify. What people call luck is actually the meeting of preparation and attention. When you’ve done the homework and acquired and/or mastered the knowledge of your marketplace, you’ll harness the positive power of confirmation bias. As I’ve written before, when you drive an old Volvo, you start to see them everywhere.

When you’ve developed expertise in your chosen market, you’ll see opportunities everywhere. Then, if you’re confident and diligent, you’ll pursue the more promising opportunities. And if your preparation includes the cultivation of some selling skills, you’ll close some business. Then people will consider you lucky.

One man from my hometown used to like to say that the harder he worked the luckier he got. I got it back then, and I still remember it. I also appreciate the saying attributed to Thomas Edison that goes like this: Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.

Be your own boss

Becoming an entrepreneur has another huge upside: you are your own boss. Unless you’re also highly self-motivated, that’s also the downside. Every day, you’re going to have to summon your motivation, your desire to get things done or they won’t get done.

By the way, this is the same skill you need to manage your career, as I discussed in this post.

But… It takes money

Yes, it’s true that you have to have some money to get started, but not as much as you may think. For most entrepreneurial enterprises, you aren’t going to need your own skyscraper and helipad — at least, not at first. Some people with landscaping businesses started with not much more than a lawnmower and a willingness to sweat. Other people have figured out how to open online stores on a shoestring budget. Web domains are very inexpensive — and there are lots of free tutorials that can help you design your website and launch your business.

Chris Guillebeau wrote a book called The 100-Dollar Startup. You may find just the idea you need there.

Be prepared to learn

There are lessons everywhere, many are free. There are online publications, podcasts, and webinars devoted to entrepreneurship. There are books on management and leadership in your public library (you do have a library card, right?). And there are local entrepreneurs who want to share what they know. But reading and discussing aren’t the only sources of lessons.

In the kicker above, I said you should expect to fail. This is because you will likely fail in your first attempts at entrepreneurship. Many times. Failure can bruise your ego, but it is also a rich mine of hard-won knowledge.

This is one reason why silicon valley types talk about failing faster. This means you should embrace the probability and learn to shrug off the sting of failure in order to acquire the lessons that will come through the failure and keep going. Author, speaker, and success coach Michael Hyatt says it this way: “In my world there is no failure — only learning.”

Success comes from good judgment…

I know I’ve quoted him before, but Arthur Jones, the eccentric creator of Nautilus Fitness equipment used to say, “Success in life comes from good judgment. Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgment.” I hope you see that to make your way in the world and provide for yourself and your household, you will have to endure some seasons of suck. Don’t let it throw you — you’re learning.

Congratulations, You’re a Technician

One lesson that arrived for me fairly recently was in Michael Gerber’s book Beyond the e-Myth. Gerber says that if your enterprise can’t function without your hand on it, you’re not an entrepreneur — you’re a technician. He prescribes the creation of methods and systems that will enable you to delegate the functions of and to increase the scale of your business.

A business has products and is a product

The last bit is important because in addition to having products, a business is a product in itself. If you’re truly an entrepreneur, you’ll enjoy the thrill of the launch, but become bored with the operations side of things. In that case, you’re going to have operators who can implement your systems, or you’re going to need to find a buyer who’ll operate what you’ve built. You can make money either way, but the key is to work on your business instead of just working in it..

Coming up

We’ll talk about insights I gained from that keynote address.

So how about you? What’s preventing you from becoming an entrepreneur? What do you have to lose? Add your comments below.

Note: I have linked to a couple of books on Amazon. I do not receive any compensation for doing so — these are two books I have bought and read and I am comfortable recommending them.