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.
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Have you ever heard/read what seemed to be the wisest quote of all time to see that it was attributed to somebody by the name of Aesop? I found myself coming across more and more of these and began asking myself, “Exactly who is this Aesop person?” Apparently I missed something during my childhood, because, although I was familiar with many of the morals, I was somehow able to reach adulthood without a basic understanding of Aesopian literature. That is about to change. I went by my neighborhood Barnes and Noble and picked up a hardcover copy of Aesop’s Fables and, for the first time in a long time, I ready the entire introduction. I’ll spare you all the details in this post, but as I delved deeper into the poems, I realized that they were all relevant to life, business, and…yes even marketing. As I take a closer read of this work, I’ll post my analyses and welcome yours. If anybody wants to read along, feel free to do so. The fables are readily available for download for free via Google, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Borders, Kobo, etc. Also, I’ll most likely post the piece I’m reading along with my analysis so you can follow along that way too. I hope to spark some interesting discussion, so please feel free to comment.
Hello Everyone,
As we enter a new year I want to take a minute and thank each and everyone of you for being you. All of you have, in your own way, added value to my life. Whether you are a colleague, teammate, mentor, or friend, you’ve been there for the good times as well as the bad. You have helped me discover, or in some cases rediscover, my admiration and appreciation of art, literature, education, communication, and collaboration.
This year has been filled with both professional and personal triumphs and setbacks. There are some things of which I am proud and others that I’m not. However, through it all, each of you, with your own sets of skills, personalities, and experiences have helped me celebrate the victories and overcome the defeats.
I only hope that over the course of 2010, I have have been able to enrich your life as you have enriched mine. May 2011 bring you fortune, happiness, and success in all you do.
Happy New Year,
As we enter a new year I want to take a minute and thank each and everyone of you for being you. All of you have, in your own way, added value to my life. Whether you are a colleague, teammate, mentor, or friend, you’ve been there for the good times as well as the bad. You have helped me discover, or in some cases rediscover, my admiration and appreciation of art, literature, education, communication, and collaboration.
This year has been filled with both professional and personal triumphs and setbacks. There are some things of which I am proud and others that I’m not. However, through it all, each of you, with your own sets of skills, personalities, and experiences have helped me celebrate the victories and overcome the defeats.
I only hope that over the course of 2010, I have have been able to enrich your life as you have enriched mine. May 2011 bring you fortune, happiness, and success in all you do.
Happy New Year,
Michael B. Maine