CAREER
Don't Be This Stupid
By Dan Miller
48days.com
CBN.com
--
I grew up as the son of a pastor, so I spent a lot of time flipping through my Bible pages to find things of interest while my Dad was preaching. The tidbits of raw truth there are sometimes startling. Of course, it helps to have 30 different versions to finally find what you want it to say. Here’s a phrase that jumped out at me in this week’s note from Rick Warren (Purpose Driven Life).
He was talking about having buffer time in our lives and used this verse from Ecclesiastes 10:15 (Today’s English Version): “Only someone too stupid to find his way home would wear himself out with work.” How do you like that? Have you been worn out with work lately? Did you know you’ve just been put in the category of being “too stupid to find your way home?”
Well, that’s probably a little harsher than it was intended to be and you’ll find much different wording in other translations.
But I like the message. Don’t wear yourself out so much with working that you’re no good for anything else.
Here are a few of my keys for working quickly and effectively – leaving plenty of time for other areas of success in my life:
1. The absolute best desk chair I have ever found: HumanScale Freedom Chair
2. Classical Music – free on iTunes
3. Massage every Friday afternoon
4. Meditation and exercise every morning – 45 minutes
5. Healthy food and loving relationships
Work should be fulfilling and meaningful. But if it drains all our energy we risk losing success in other important areas. Don't be stupid!
Where is the Puck Going to Be?
Here are some predictions for the future from The World Future Society for 2007 and beyond:
- Education and learning will be “on-demand.” Education will follow the entertainment model, allowing customers (learners) to download what they want and use it when they want it. Faculty will increasingly upload lectures and educations “playlists” to Podcasting services for students to attend at their convenience. Traditional 4-year programs consisting of a wide variety of coursework will diminish in importance and desirability to students ready to enter the workforce.
- Children’s “nature deficit” is a growing health threat. Children today are spending less time in direct contact with nature than did previous generations. The impact is showing up not only in their lack of physical fitness, but also in the growing prevalence of hyperactivity and attention deficit. Studies show that immersing children in outdoor settings – away from television and video games – fosters more creative mental activity and concentration. The same “nature deficit” is robbing adults of balance and pushing them toward robotic souls rather than spiritual ones.
- Businesses will “hire” whatever type of mind can do the work – robotic or human. Future human workers will be expected to collaborate with robotic minds on projects for a variety of enterprises, rather than work for a single employer. Be careful about the push in this direction.
- Outsourcing will actually create jobs. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has estimated that total U.S. employment will increase from 144 million jobs in 2002 to 165 million by 2012, as a result of efficiencies gained through outsourcing. Opportunities are increasing, but they look different than the “jobs” of the past.
I’ll be introducing many more of these predictions in the coming weeks.
Remember Wayne Gretsky’s response when asked why he was such a great hockey player. He responded, “I always go to where the puck is going to be.” You can take advantage of changes rather than feeling victimized by them – if you keep track of where the changes are leading us.
Do What You Love?
Just before Christmas, Joanne and I went to the SuperTalk 99.7 WTN radio station Christmas luncheon. As a show host we were treated like celebrities and showered with great food and holiday gifts. One of the other goodies was the privilege of having a caricature drawn by Tracy Latham. Tracy shared that he had read 48 Days to the Work You Love four years ago and it inspired him to go into his business full-time. And that business is drawing these incredible caricatures.
Yes, people told him this was not realistic or practical – but he moved ahead anyway. Now he stays booked at corporate events, birthday parties, conventions, conferences, etc. He charges $100 an hour and is a continual crowd pleaser.
A couple of questions listed on Tracy’s site say:
Q: Did you go to school for this, or are you naturally talented?
A: I went to school to delay adulthood, and I am naturally lazy.
Q: Do you ever do other kinds of art?
A: Only as time permits…my mother is still waiting for that oil painting of ducks on a lake.
Now who’s telling you it’s unrealistic to pursue your dream?
Check out his information here: Tracy Latham’s Drawing Board
Get a plan for your creative dream.
What's the Best Product to Sell Online?
Here’s another great article from my radio co-host, Tim Knox.
I wish I had a dime for every time I've been asked, "Tim, what's the best product to sell online?" I also wish I had a nickel for every blank stare I received when I answered: "That's simple: information." I'd have enough money to finance another startup or two.
Read how to sell the most profitable product anywhere.
Quotes
“Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.”
– Theodore Roosevelt
"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man."
-- Heraclitus
"The thing is to understand myself, to see what God really wants me to do . . . to find the idea for which I can live and die."
-- Soren Kierkegaard
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
-- Mark Twain
Dan Miller is the bestselling author of 48 Days To The Work You Love and a renowned Life Coach specializing in career fulfillment. His weekly newsletter reaches 70,000 subscribers. Dan’s articles are featured here at CBN every Tuesday, and you can find out more about Dan at www.48days.com.
CBN IS HERE FOR YOU!
Are you seeking answers in life? Are you hurting?
Are you facing a difficult situation?
A caring friend will be there to pray with you in your time of need.
|