That probably depends on who you ask. If I am, great. If not, you’re certainly free to move along. There’s no shortage of interesting stuff within a keystroke or two. Being interesting is something I think about because there’s so much content - much of it meaningless, that I fear I might just be adding to the dribble.
Chris Brogan always talks about being useful. And he delivers every time. That makes him interesting. I could list many other really interesting people too - here are just ten (but there are always more).
Each of them offers a voice and perspective to think about. They add color, texture and context to the thinking I bring to my job each day. From a writing standpoint, while it’s good to have a benchmark for good content, it can be intimidating - these are people who’ve been consistently delivering great stuff. How can I compete? Well, I can’t. You can’t either. Nor should you. Each of us, if we’re going to offer content worth reading need to find our own voice. I’m looking for mine as I write. If you’re always focusing on competing, you’re going to lose because it saps energy from what you offer. And it would be pretty tough to catch up.
I think some of the previous posts here speak to who I am. But I bet some seem contrived. I can feel when I write whether I’m writing from the heart, or writing because I feel like I need to keep up the content. I do know the key to being interesting is to be interested. To be curious about life and everything in it. Sometimes I think I have too many interests that I suffer the tyranny of choice. But I’m getting better at that. After spending two weeks in Aspen Colorado in 1995 with Jay Maisel, he left us with this: “Interesting people take interesting pictures.”
The same goes for writing. Dan Roam talks about how leaving your home country for a few years helps you be more creative because it forces you out of your comfort zone.
I think I’m starting to find my voice. In my head at least. No, I’m never satisfied - the perfectionist in me can never be stamped completely out. But I worry less about what others think - here or in person. There are people I connect with and those I don’t. And when I don’t, regardless of who they are, I’m content to move on. Because I’ve realized the times when I feel at ease around people compared to those I with whom conversation is forced. Why spend time (unless work requires it) with people you’re not comfortable around? People you don’t enjoy?
And although there’s too much of everything, find your voice and you’ll likely find an audience. It’s not just about talent, though. It’s about tenacious hard work fueled by a passion to share. So look to find more of me here delivering observations that matter to some people. And if you’re not one of them, that’s okay. Keep looking because you’ll find it. Do you ever think about being interesting?
Tagged as:
Ann Handley,
Bob Sutton,
Chris Brogan,
Chris Guillebeau,
Curious,
Dan Roam,
David Armano,
interesting,
Jay Maisel,
Mark Earls,
Seth Godin,
Tara Hunt,
Tim Brown,
Valeria Maltoni
Like any bubble, those who are the last in are the first to fall. When you get caught up in the frenzy, you toss caution out the window. Bad idea. It’s those with the patience to spot the up and coming neighborhoods and start the trend that win. Once it hits the media it’s too late. You’re in the bubble.
Assuming you’re not in a totally down and out neighborhood or city with little future, you’re likely to be okay if you don’t panic. Again, don’t get emotional. Hang on and plan for the future. Learn from it and try again. Slowly. Don’t give up, walk away and torch your credit. Guard your credit like gold. It’s your lifeline to a secure future. Torch it and you’ve a long, hard road back.
Real estate has crashed before. It will again. And it will bounce back. It just may take awhile. But with a keen eye, patience and more patience, it will treat you well. Just remember to check your emotions at the door. And believe.
Tagged as:
credit,
investment,
patience,
Real Estate
Do you ever look at a job in front of you and it just hurts. You haven’t even started and you’re looking for the painkillers. I know I have. The only way to overcome the pain is to start. Somewhere. Don’t think about it. Thinking is often worse than the doing. Start so you can see some progress. Start so you discover it’s not as bad as it looked. Break it into baby steps. Make the ginormous small. And remember at some point you’ll be done.
Tbat’s how I felt about the above photo. One Sunday it was the last 100 square feet of patio we wanted removed. Four hours later I had the above pile instead. Felt good to be done. It it also reminded me that no matter what, some jobs are just back breakers. And that I’m really not meant to swing a sledge hammer for four hours straight. But this also makes so many other tasks much more palatable.
Tagged as:
Hard work
You have dreams when you’re young. You’re immortal and have all the time in the world to live those dreams. And then we doubt ourselves. People tell us we can’t. And we believe it. We believe the negative because our dreams are too good to be true. Everyone, no matter how confident they appear gets scared. And we pull back.
However, the sky really is the limit if you let it be. Between climate change, poverty and economic turmoil, we’ve got seriously wicked problems to solve. Only pie in the sky thinking will come close.
What limits do you impose on yourself and how can you break them down? It’s never too late to start.
Tagged as:
dreams,
limits,
possibility
So many people talk just to talk. It’d be one thing if talking kept you physically fit. But it doesn’t. Never will. The real purpose of communicating is to make an impact, share knowledge, tell meaningful stories, create connections and change the world.
If you’ve got nothing to say, save your breath. Talk all the time about yourself and you’re just boring. Spend more time listening. Find ways to speak words that offer value. You’ll gain respect. And you’ll be heard.
Tagged as:
Communication,
Value
Face it, we all get frustrated with people and businesses and just want to let it all out. Sometimes we have a bad day, someone crosses us and we want to go off. But there’s a way to do this with compassion. Granted, it’s going to take restraint on your part. You’re going to need to keep your anger and frustrations in check. But if you do it right, you have a better chance of making a difference. Do it wrong, well, the other person’s just going to throw up the iron curtain and get defensive.
So what do you do?
- Breathe. Pause. Think. Don’t spout your first thoughts in anger.
- Think about the context - did they make you angry, or did you just get up on the wrong side of the bed? Don’t attack the person with the intent to tear them down.
- Be specific. Speak to the frustration. People can’t do anything with generalities.
- Try on their shoes. Suggest solutions to the frustration so that it they can actually work on it. What would you want to be told if you were the recipient?
- Smile authentically. It goes a long way to making criticism a positive. A smile with a sharp barb does the opposite.
Remember, words are weapons. Choose them wisely. Once out, they’re not likely to be forgotten. Think about what you want your future relationship and interactions to be. It’s not always easy to keep emotions in check, but it goes a long way to communicating constructively.
Tagged as:
Communication,
criticsim
If people consistantly excel at anything, it’s making excuses. For mistakes. For missing deadlines. For quitting before reaching that goal. For pretty much anything that involves effort and risk whether personal or professional. And of course there are the many excuses why a business isn’t able delight a customer - it’d cost too much, they’d always expect it, we can’t make exceptions, yada yada nada.
What do you think would happen if we suddenly stopped making excuses and admitted the truth? That mistakes happen. That it’s okay to take responsibility for the work we do. That effort’s not a bad thing.
For one thing, not making excuses increases productivity because you’re not wasting time explaining why you couldn’t - and focusing on what you can. I find such people much more interesting to be around. They’re focused on possibility and moving forward.
Excuses are simply roadblocks that prevent achieving real success. Companies that make excuses don’t have good processes for managing, hiring and empowering great people. The Ritz Carlton and Zappos are two companies who get it - and they’ve not done too bad. Make the buck stop with you - it’s not that scary!
Tagged as:
Authenticity,
excuses,
Ritz Carlton,
Zappos
Long before Bernie Madoff, I’ve always tried to look beneath the surface for the truth about people. Whether I was impressed or not, I’ve compared my gut reaction at first meeting with later perceptions once I’ve come to know them. Some people are not great at the first meeting, but are really cool later. Others make a great splash, but then wither on the vine after they’ve shown you all they’ve got.
I’m not sure what I would have thought of Bernie at first meeting. I suspect I would have been impressed. Like so many others. That’s why you can’t always go with your first impression. Some people are great actors, knowing exactly the right words to say at the right time.
Time reveals a lot. Actors run out of tricks while those who are truly authentic are consistently delightful to be around. Because they’re authentic, they’ve nothing to hide. The next time you meet someone, pay attention - if they blow you away, question why - and check your impressions against later interactions. And if they don’t impress, also check back. It could be shyness, or the situation in which you met.
Sometimes first impressions are not as they appear.
Tagged as:
Authenticity,
Communication
This might sound naive or idealistic, but I’ve found looking for the good in people makes it easier to work with them. Most everyone has good qualities amidst their quirks, and by focusing on those qualities, the quirks tend to annoy one less. It makes for healthier, more productive working relationships. And also helps in personal ones. Focusing on the negative is petty and gets in the way of doing great things. And makes you less happy too.
So the next time you find yourself struggling to work with someone, look for their good qualitiesand you’ll likely find them easier to work with (sure, there’s always the individual for which this won’t work). I’ve never forgotten a quote on creativity by Deanne Delbridge - a consultant I met many years ago: “Focusing on what’s working will speed the process.” It works for creativity and it works for building stronger relationships.
Tagged as:
Communication,
Deanne Delbridge,
happiness,
work
That’s just one of the sayings I remember about Les Sarnoff of Kink.fm. Few radio personalities have impacted me like Les. From high-school to now - for more than 20 years, I’ve enjoyed waking up to Les. When away in college, I always looked forward to coming home and listening to Kink - and Les. He always saw the positive in just about any situation.
And though I never met him personally, I got a strong sense that he was a great, caring person. Real. Authentic. Sincere. He brought the best out of his co-anchors - like Rebecca Webb and Mike Rich, both of whom also added much richness to the dialogue.
Ever morning, Les was a soothing voice that made every morning better. Even if it was “raining to beat the band” as he often said - and it often does here. I knew that if I wasn’t happy in the morning, all it took was Les to put things into perspective. And when Mike Rich was working on Finding Forrester, I live vicariously through the entire process though both of them- from long before Sean Connery was signed to the price of breakfast at The Beverly Hills Hotel.
Les made Portland a better place. I always wondered what I’d do if I moved to another city and wouldn’t be able to listen to Les and Kink.fm. Kink’s still a decent station - one of the few that’s pretty much maintained their focus for so long - over 40 years. But I really missed Les when he had to leave the morning show last year. And still do now. I’ve great memories from the morning commute. And will never forget his voice. He was like a true friend - always there for his listeners.
I’m sure even now that he’d want us to “Keep on keepin’ on.”
Tagged as:
Finding Forrester,
Kink.fm,
Les Sarnoff,
Mike Rich,
Rebecca Webb
