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 a city boy through and through. That means that there are a lot of things I never experienced growin up. One of the things I have found most rewarding about being a curious person and wanting to learn what drives people to do what they do is the ability to get to know those people on a deeper level. Also, it’s intereting to find out who inspires them. A few weekends ago, I was asked to interview Annette Cottrell, co-author of The Urban Farm Handbook and creator of the blog Sustainable Eats.
I had no idea what to expect when I said yes, but I’m glad I did. Annette no longer lives in an urban setting, but her new country gardens/farm was beautiful. She has ducks, chickens, goats, rabbits, tons of vegetables, and other edibles on what almost seems like a retreat center. Before I knew it, this city boy was hanging out with goats, eating snap peas from the vine, being circled by turkeys, and recording an interesting conversation with Cottrell herself. Find out how Cottrell became interested in urban farming in the first place and what role you can play in food justice and your health in this interview.
I almost didn’t go to this year’s graduation. It’s not because I didn’t want to show my support to the great individuals I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know this year. It’s mostly because I don’t particularly like goodbyes. At the very last minute (and I do mean last minute) I decided I would continue saying “yes” and got my ticket.
It wouldn’t quite be BGI without a little quirkiness. There was plenty of that. Highlights for me, though, included watching some wonderful people be recognized as they crossed the stage, mingling with continuing students, and wishing these change agents well as they close this chapter of their lives and begin the next. In just 362 days, it’s going to be my turn to do the same. Here’s hoping that I’m ready when that day comes.
This year marked a monumental event for BGI—graduating their 500th alumni. Fittingly enough, #500 happened to be Eric Schalla, a person for whom I have a deep respect. Here he is…