It s a shame I've been sitting on this book for about two years now. A friend of mine gave me Never Eat Alone , by Keith Ferrazzi a couple years ago (thanks Rey), and it s been on my bookcase ever since. It was resting there not because I didn't want to read it, but because I already had so many others in the pipeline. I finally got around to reading it last month and I definitely recommend it. In very simple terms, Ferrazzi explains why networking is important and how to do it. From how to make call lists to planning dinners to personal branding to goal setting, it s all here. He also maintains a valuable blog .
Inevitably there will be times when you have setbacks or things don t go your way. Maybe you didn't get a job you thought you were sure to get. Maybe you lost a job unexpectedly, didn't win a contract, or lost a major client. Your car always seems to break down right after you've had some other unexpected expense. These kinds of situations immediately place us in crisis. They don t feel good, but sometimes they re what we need in order to grow. The beautiful thing about crises is that they force us to take a step back and reevaluate what s going on in our lives and rediscover what we truly want and need. When we get over that initial shock and feeling of disappointment, we might realize that maybe that job wasn't really the best for us anyway. Maybe, just maybe, that wasn't what you really wanted to spend your life doing. Maybe that friend was holding you back instead of pushing you forward. The way I deal with crises of these sorts is simple: If something doesn't go my way professionally, I try to create a situation that would be more rewarding than the situation originally planned. A while ago, I was offered a job that looked very promising. After I accepted the offer, they pushed the start date back three times, later informing me (via e-mail) that they wanted to bring me on in the near future but I should feel free to explore other options. I was extremely disappointed. I felt disrespected and angry, but decided to make the best of the situation and follow my dream of working internationally. I then flew to Santiago, Chile and had great professional and personal experiences I wouldn't have had otherwise. Later, reflecting back on the original opportunity, I realized that working for a company that avoids a start date three times and then can t pick up the phone to explain the situation is probably not where I need to spend my time. Use setbacks as an opportunity to put your goals in order and act on them. In the moment, it s difficult to look at a setback as temporary, but they are. They happen to everybody. It s how you respond to them that will determine how they affect you.
I’m writing this post from my iPhone on Frontier Airlines flight #684 in route to Denver, where I’ll have a relatively short layover. From there I’ll be headed to Seattle. This time for the foreseeable future.
My time as an Apple employee ended this past Friday night at 9:15 p.m., and I’ve been packing ever since. Trying to prepare to relocate across the nation in four days has been a bit of a challenge. Because of the fast pace of things I haven’t had any time for it to sink in that, once I land, I will be a Seattle resident. I know longer live in San Antonio. I no longer live in Texas. It’s hard to believe that so many things are going to change. But I welcome a new city and new experiences.
During my haste to pack my entire apartment in four days I realized that I have acquired so much _stuff_. I mean I found a Microsoft Windows ‘95 installation disc among other things I’ve been carrying for far too long. All this stuff has a way of holding me back. I felt attached to things I didn’t even remember I had. Why was it difficult for me to get rid of a Sega Genesis? I don’t have a TV to play it on anyway. Why didn’t I want to let go of a pair of track spikes I never intend to wear again? I decided it was time to edit my belongings as I try to do with my writing-anything that isn’t absolutely necessary I try and remove it. Just as every word I publish has a purpose, so do the things I decided to keep. I donated eight bags of clothes to Goodwill. And that was just a start.
As I transition to a new life in Seattle, I want to take a moment a recognize some of the most influential people I’ve met in San Antonio:
Paul Garcia
Paul, you were the first person ever to welcome me to San Antonio. I’ve told you this once, but I’ll say it again. You really made me feel welcome and accepted me as though I was family. I’ve seen you trough your wedding and first year of marriage. Thank you for always being a positive source of energy.
Sylvia Sitters
Sylvia, thank you for inspiring me through your love of humanity and animals. You serve as a constant reminder that the world is full of people who are quietly moving mountains within their communities.
DeAnne Cuellar, Leticia Medina, Ernesto Olivo
You all are simply wonderful, tirelessly working as a team to empower marginalized people with a voice and a platform to share that voice. I wish MJL much continued success and don’t hesitate to let me know if you need anything.
Todd O’Neill and Debbie Curtis
You weren’t afraid to step forth and bring a vision to San Antonio. Although SA-Town might not be ready for that vision, you showed just how much risk one needs to take sometimes to pursue a dream. You have been responsible for bringing some of the greatest people and experiences into my life through C4 Workspace and TEDxSanAntonio.
Diane Huth
I feel like you know everything there is to know about marketing. You have served as my professional mentor and I thank you for taking the time to work with me to develop some of the skills that are already paying off. Best of luck with BioVideo and you know you have 24 hour tech support if you need it.
Interlex Communications, Inc.
A little over a year ago now you fired me. And that’s probably one of the best things to happen to me in my career. One of my biggest fears professionally has always been that, one day, I might be fired. Now that fear can be put to rest. You taught me what it means to fail. More importantly I learned how to move on and use what could be considered negative experiences and use them as fuel to create great ones. Most importantly, the time there introduced me to some wonderful people. Without you I never would have met the likes of Jake Negovan, Angela Kleinheksel, Melissa Lojewski, Linda (everybody refers to Linda by first name only), and Mayra Urteaga. All are great at what they do and all have, and continue, to enrich my life.
Apple Northstar
Working at Apple has been one of the most frustrating, stressful, rewarding, and beautiful experiences of my entire life. I often went home and asked myself what I was doing there. It wasn’t the kind of work I felt was making a difference. I was mistaken. I realize that I’ve helped thousands of people love their products and feel special over the course of the year I was an Apple employee. The real reason I think my journey took me there was so that I would have the opportunity to influence and be influenced by those who work there. There are far too many names to name, but you know who you are. Keep it classy Northstar.
With that I will conclude this relatively long post. My thumbs are hurting, my eyes are heavy, and the captain is about to ask us to turn off our electronic devices. Thank you for reading this far. There’s no way I could have mentioned everything and everyone who has positively impacted my life, but I am grateful for all you. Thank you for making my time in San Antonio a growing experience and one I will take with me forever.
When was the last time you saw a woman portrayed as a whole person? By whole person, I mean a complete, autonomous human being—not the archetypal damsel in distress, sexual object, etc. More often than not I see women portrayed as pieces. I’ll see eyes, lips, hips, breasts, or legs in isolation. What kind of message is this sending us?
When we look at a woman as disembodied pieces, we don’t equate her to a whole person. When we don’t see them as complete people, it becomes easier to objectify them, which can lead to all sorts of negative behaviors. As consumers, we need to become more aware of the roles that various forms of media affect our perception of people, and demand advertising and business practices that promote fairness and human rights. CEO’s respond most immediately to changes in consumer demands. As businesses, we need to respond to the growing body of knowledge at our disposal. Fostering a sense of shame, hatred, and objectification will not be a sustainable business practice as we move forward. Developing a community of stakeholders (not only shareholders) will.
