2015 Denver / Boulder Cotopaxi Questival

If you haven't already, you need to learn about and see what Cotipaxi's Questival is all about. Check out this photo from our adventures!

Starting Your Career - Part 1

I recently started working my "big boy" job and work fulltime now in the corporate world of consulting. I'm sure that not all jobs are the same but I am learning that there are some universal truths that could be applied for anyone who is starting out in their career. The idea for today's post came from writing a friend about what I do, and she also got some unsolicited advice. So...I thought I would make others suffer as well.

In case I come up with future ideas I'm going to call this "Part 1" just in case I feel like adding more to it. Part 1's topic: Selling Yourself Doesn't Stop at the Interview.

I think this is an important topic, and one that entry level professionals need to understand as they enter the workforce. Selling yourself does not end after that big interview and maybe land that job you wanted. If you manage to get the job on the first try, you're doing better than most. But I digress. 

Say you land that job, now what? Do you think that everything is going to be handed to you on a silver platter? That work will come flooding into your office/desk/cubicle (or supply closet if you are Ryan in the later seasons of "The Office.")? Well from what I have seen so far, it's not exactly like that, and if you want to be a successful professional then it is DEFINTELY not like that.

Managers at companies, supervisors, project managers, leaders...they all like to work with people that create. Not necessarily in a creative artsy way, but in a "here are the resources, now do something with them" way. To create something from nothing, or transform things into something a better. I can't say that ALL leaders are like this, but I can say that the good ones are. But again, I'm going off on a tangent. 

Basically, I can sum it up this way, using something one of my trusted mentors told me. "You are responsible for your workload. If you need work, tell people. Communicate with them. Do not wait until it is too late."

Like I said earlier, this may not apply directly to all jobs, but maybe in an indirect way it can. I'd like to point out the major points of that statement.

1. Responsibility - I am responsible. Not my cube neighbor...me, I am. You've probably heard that word before, and it's not new, but it can be. Start now to be responsible for your work. For the quality, for the efficiency, for the innovation, and many other ways.

2. Communicate - Despite what we hope sometimes, people cannot read our thoughts, nor can they know what goes on inside of us. Communication is an extremely important skill especially if you work in a team environment. Learn to explain your needs clearly, and in a professional manner. This can improve relationships at work and in our personal lives (which is not a bad thing).

3. Do not wait: be proactive - waiting for things to happen to you will not make things happen. That statement sounds redundant but it's true nonetheless. I'm reminded of what some coworkers of mine would say to me each time I confronted a challenging task. They would say "grab the bull by the horns." That's exactly what you got to do sometimes. Just go for it. Chances are you will likely be rewarded for your bravery over waiting for something to happen. Sitting by letting others do the work is never a smart option.

Chances are, no matter what job you land, you will never stop selling yourself, whether it is for your personal benefit or for your employer's. Selling yourself can mean a lot of things, but it primarily means thinking of yourself as a business, and if you were McDonalds you would be running that advertisement during the Super Bowl, or during the Olympics, or putting on a monopoly game to boost sales. If there is one skill I have come to value, that is the ability to sell, and if that makes you scared or nervous, there are ways to help. Lately I've been telling people often that rehearsing is a very good thing. So practice. The old adage is exactly right; "Practice makes perfect." If you learn and maintain this skill of selling yourself you will see success come from it. 

Keep up the good work my fellow professionals!

MGBWY

Cold Freshly Fallen Snow

There's a irony when it comes to freshly fallen snow. It's so cold. It's chilling and is sometimes accompanied with a harsh wind.

However, there's also a peaceful serenity. A consequence of all the snow, is less people on the road; less noise, less hustle and bustle, less "gotta get there now."

It's quiet, if for a few moments. How could something so cold, so chilling, and at times so dangerous, bring an equal amount of peace and tranquility?

In a way it brings emptiness. Not the emotionally empty, but the mentally empty, where thoughts are free to roam across the empty landscape of ones mind like bison or elk.

This feeling is freeing. It's liberating. Freshly fallen snow is purity; is cleansing; is empty. It's a canvas waiting to be filled with the masterpiece of ones mind.

Feel the cold. Embrace the emptiness.

MGBWY

My Motto

For any who read this blog I have a personal motto. It is actually the name of this blog. "Always Pushing Forward"

Why do I have this motto? Because life can be hard, and it has the opportunity to be a road block in our path. But my personal belief is that we must keep trying. We must keep pushing on otherwise we are going nowhere. We are not progressing. We are stagnant.

We may not get over that bump in the road right now, but if we keep trying we will learn what works and what doesn't work. We can narrow down the correct path to help us get over that block and onto the next one. Because there will be a next one. 

I invite anyone who reads this to keep pushing forward. You can get over the block that is presently in your path. Trust yourself. Believe in yourself. Lift yourself up. We are all amazingly talented individuals who if we set our minds to something, we can achieve it. Go! Always Push Forward!

MGBWY

Life Lesson: Doing the Right Thing

I've been wondering lately what exactly it means to do the right thing. What is the right thing? -- is it relative to each person? -- maybe -- is it predictable? -- likely not -- can we say for sure that doing this one thing is THE right thing? -- no, I don't think we can.

There are too many variables to consider. Too many different "maps" or perceptions of the world. What is right and what is wrong. Who is right and who is wrong. There are obvious clear and distinct lines where one can say what is black and what is white. 

Have you faced a question in your life where all solutions were equally viable, equally good or equally bad? How did you choose from among them? Then add in a deadline. You must make an important decision, one that could effect the rest of your life, based on very little information in a short amount of time. What did you do? Did you make a decision knowing that it was exactly the right answer or did you almost do the age old "eenie meenie miney moe?" 

There are multiple rights and there are multiple wrongs it all depends on your point of view I think. The best advice I can give is follow your heart. Follow your heart and commit to that decision because when you commit, you can make anything happen. 

"Man's Search For Meaning"

First off, this is a great book. In short, it's about the experiences of a Jew who lived through the holocaust. It's unique in the fact that it is from the perspective of a psychiatrist who tries to remain very objective and ponders about the mental states of the prisoners, if you can even call them that. In my mind prisoners were/are treated a lot better than the people at the concentration camps were (which he makes a comment about actually). 

Anyway, I've been reading this book wondering what he would say about "man's search for meaning." I finally got to it last night. Here's what he said:

Knowing the context of the paragraphs just before this might be helpful to understand. To translate, it sounds like he's saying "Take responsibility for your life and make the best of everything that comes your way." That's a gross over simplification. In regards to the situation he found himself in, he realized that sometimes the task given to us by life is the task to suffer, and that we should "fulfill" the task given to us. 

I haven't finished the book yet but will soon. If you like psychology or are looking for meaning in your own life, I challenge you to read this. There are a lot of great lessons to be learned.

Book: "Man's Search For Meaning" by Victor Frankl

The Quarter-Life Crisis

There seems to be an epidemic going around individuals of Generation Y or the Millennial Generation, and I think it is what is being called...

The quarter-life crisis.

No seriously.  I'm a part of this Millennial Generation and I see this crisis happening more often than not.  Several of my friends, co-workers, colleagues, family, and myself are suffering from this and I can't think of any good explanation for it.  This hasn't been "a thing" before now for previous generations, so why is it happening now?  Here are some things I'm feeling that could be some of the symptoms of this.

My potential symptoms:
Pressure to find that right job
Feeling that I'm insufficiently prepared for the world
Constant what-if questions
Avoiding debt wherever I can to avoid financial hardship like those I see around me
Feeling that I'm not going anywhere and...
that I'm stuck in the same place, same house
Extremely nervous, but excited and wanting to move on to the next stage
Wanting a how-to handbook to make the leap into the world
Wondering if my career path is the right choice
Not knowing where I want my life to go and...
feeling like I should already have that figured out
Not wanting to end up in a dead-end job
Wanting to avoid future feelings of looking back and wondering how I got here
Realizing that my parents have a hard time keeping a job and wondering what that means for me

Reading through that list I realize that a lot of those are primarily insecurities, and those are things that I know I can overcome.  But I still have questions. Is this a learned thing?  Is this because of the difference in how I was raised in comparison to the previous generation?  Will I still have a mid-life crisis after this one?  What does it take to get out of this funk?

If you read this and have similar feelings, thoughts, have experienced this, or whatever please feel free to comment.  This could be a great discussion.  There may be future posts.

Transportation Costs

In case you were interested, I ran the numbers on two cars and determined how much it cost per mile to drive an everyday vehicle.  I looked up many of the major repair/maintenance costs and used them to determine the final estimate.  They include tires replacement and adjustments, frequent oil change, timing belt and water pump, brakes, transmission service, coolant service, spark plugs, and air filter.

If you ignore the cost of gas and mpg for each car the maintenance is about the same.  So here we are, the final results is simply this.  Drum roll please........

For every mile you drive, for a Honda CRV and Honda Civic, the maintenance costs are about $.05/mile.  So now when you're thinking about driving, you can consider the real cost beyond just the gasoline you're putting in the tank.  But let me clarify or make a disclaimer that this is basic maintenance.  There could be other things I missed, but I included the most common ones.

Interesting huh?  :)  Well I hope you enjoyed that little tid-bit of information.  Now you can tell the whole world, or just your hamster, that you learned something extra-ordinary today.  Cheers!

MGBWY

Waste Bin Waste

Using a public bathroom.

We've all at some point or another found ourselves in need of one of these sometimes scary facilities. Or if you're lucky, a surprisingly clean and refreshing facility.

Regardless, there's one thing I've noticed that happens in a public restroom. An over use of paper towels.

When I am finished washing my hands, I usually shake them off, and then grab a towel. One towel. Una toalla. I don't need more than one because the towel is designed to suck off all the moisture from my hands. There's no residual water, it's dry.

However, I see other people grab one...two...three...and one time I saw someone take four. I mean come on! You want your hands to turn into the Sahara Desert? You don't need that many towels! I've looked at the condition of paper towels after people have used them and they look the same as when they were dispensed. They don't look used at all. That!...is wasteful behavior my friends.

So I challenge you, next time you're in a public restroom, to use one towel thoroughly and then tell me your hands aren't dry. Use the whole towel, not just the center! Your hands will thank you, the janitor will thank you, and the Earth will thank you.

MGBWY

Upcoming IAMA Concert

Here's some shameless promoting.  Recently I was asked to participate in a band by a singer/songwriter I know.  His name is Steve Walker and he plays folk-ish music.  He was seeking some more help because he was asked to come play for the Intermountain Acoustic Music Association event coming up in December.

I was asked by him to provide some percussion initially.  After he found a dedicated percussionist my role changed to vocals, guitar, and light percussion.  That's right, I'm a back-up singer!

This is definitely a new experience for me, but one that I am really excited for.  If you'd like to come check us out, here are the details.

December 7th, 2012 @ 7:30p

South Valley Unitarian Universalist Society
6876 South Highland Drive, Salt Lake City, Utah


Admission:
IAMA Members - Adults and kids 12 and older: $5.00.
Non-IAMA members: $10.00. Join IAMA and receive your discount on the spot!
Kids under 12 are free.
(Except May's concert = $10 for IAMA members, $15 for non-IAMA members)