Read Online 18 Minutes: Find Your Focus, Master Distraction, and Get the Right Things Done by Peter Bregman - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Peter Bregman
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gardening, reading, meditating, and writing are alone activities. Volunteering to run a fund-raiser is with people.
3. Look at the activities you do alone and figure out ifyou can (and want to) do them in a way that includes other people. For example, join a garden club. Or a reading or meditation group. Or write something that other people read. If you can (and want to) make them activities that include other people, keep them on the list. If not, then cross them off.
4. Now’s the fun part: Spend 90 percent of your time—either at work or, if you can’t yet, then outside of work—doing things you love (or have always wanted to try) with other people who also love doing those things. If possible, take a leadership role.
A good friend of mine got involved in a church she adores. She loves all the pastors; she came to our house for dinner the other day and couldn’t stop talking about them. So she met with them and offered to help in whatever way they needed. She’s now leading a monthly strategy breakfast with the pastors and lay leaders of the church. I’ve never seen her so excited.
Another friend is training for a triathlon with a group of fifteen others. He’s in the best shape of his life and can’t stop talking about it.
A company I know is doing pro bono work for charities and the government. Everyone working on those projects is energized.
Another company I know has given all their people writing time; they’ve been told to put their ideas on paper and get them out there. Somewhere. Anywhere.
Why does this work? Woody Allen once said that80 percent of success is just showing up. When I first started my business, a great mentor of mine told me to join the boards of not-for-profits and do what I do best for them. Other board members will then see the results and want to hire my company to do the same for them and their companies. That’s the obvious reason.
Here’s the more subtle reason this works: People want to hire energized people who are passionate and excited about what they’re doing. Jobs come from being engaged in the world and building human connections.
And an even more subtle reason: If you’re passionate about what you’re doing, and you’re doing it with other people who are passionate about what they’re doing, then chances are the work you eventually end up doing for your livelihood—if you’re not already doing it—will be more in line with the stuff you love to do. And then… then your life changes (not to be too dramatic, but it’s true). You’re doing work you love, at which you excel, with people you enjoy. You can’t help but succeed.
Now, I know what you might be thinking: That’s a fine strategy if you’re independently wealthy, getting that nice fat trust fund check every week to pay for your gym membership (or mortgage, or kid’s tuition). But what about the rest of us? We can’t just quit jobs we’re ill-suited for if they pay the bills. Our inability to pay the monthly bills might actually intrude on our ability to “enjoy” unemployment.
That’s true. But not an excuse not to start. Because your best bet at succeeding, whether you’re looking for a job or already in one, is to throw yourself into things you adore.Work that doesn’t feel like work because it’s
easy.
Because you naturally shine when you’re doing it.
If you don’t have a job, then your hardest job is to manage your fear. Because here’s the kicker: It won’t take longer to find a job even though you’re spending less time looking. It’ll take you less time.
Pursuing things you love doing with people you enjoy will better position you to get a job—and much better position you to get a job at the intersection of the four elements. Other people will notice your commitment, passion, skill, and personality, and they’ll want to either hire you or help you get hired.
Also, actively pursuing other activities while looking for a job will make you more qualified for a
3. Look at the activities you do alone and figure out ifyou can (and want to) do them in a way that includes other people. For example, join a garden club. Or a reading or meditation group. Or write something that other people read. If you can (and want to) make them activities that include other people, keep them on the list. If not, then cross them off.
4. Now’s the fun part: Spend 90 percent of your time—either at work or, if you can’t yet, then outside of work—doing things you love (or have always wanted to try) with other people who also love doing those things. If possible, take a leadership role.
A good friend of mine got involved in a church she adores. She loves all the pastors; she came to our house for dinner the other day and couldn’t stop talking about them. So she met with them and offered to help in whatever way they needed. She’s now leading a monthly strategy breakfast with the pastors and lay leaders of the church. I’ve never seen her so excited.
Another friend is training for a triathlon with a group of fifteen others. He’s in the best shape of his life and can’t stop talking about it.
A company I know is doing pro bono work for charities and the government. Everyone working on those projects is energized.
Another company I know has given all their people writing time; they’ve been told to put their ideas on paper and get them out there. Somewhere. Anywhere.
Why does this work? Woody Allen once said that80 percent of success is just showing up. When I first started my business, a great mentor of mine told me to join the boards of not-for-profits and do what I do best for them. Other board members will then see the results and want to hire my company to do the same for them and their companies. That’s the obvious reason.
Here’s the more subtle reason this works: People want to hire energized people who are passionate and excited about what they’re doing. Jobs come from being engaged in the world and building human connections.
And an even more subtle reason: If you’re passionate about what you’re doing, and you’re doing it with other people who are passionate about what they’re doing, then chances are the work you eventually end up doing for your livelihood—if you’re not already doing it—will be more in line with the stuff you love to do. And then… then your life changes (not to be too dramatic, but it’s true). You’re doing work you love, at which you excel, with people you enjoy. You can’t help but succeed.
Now, I know what you might be thinking: That’s a fine strategy if you’re independently wealthy, getting that nice fat trust fund check every week to pay for your gym membership (or mortgage, or kid’s tuition). But what about the rest of us? We can’t just quit jobs we’re ill-suited for if they pay the bills. Our inability to pay the monthly bills might actually intrude on our ability to “enjoy” unemployment.
That’s true. But not an excuse not to start. Because your best bet at succeeding, whether you’re looking for a job or already in one, is to throw yourself into things you adore.Work that doesn’t feel like work because it’s
easy.
Because you naturally shine when you’re doing it.
If you don’t have a job, then your hardest job is to manage your fear. Because here’s the kicker: It won’t take longer to find a job even though you’re spending less time looking. It’ll take you less time.
Pursuing things you love doing with people you enjoy will better position you to get a job—and much better position you to get a job at the intersection of the four elements. Other people will notice your commitment, passion, skill, and personality, and they’ll want to either hire you or help you get hired.
Also, actively pursuing other activities while looking for a job will make you more qualified for a
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