The
path of contentment is a green road.
It�s a way of living in harmony with an ever-changing world rather than
subsisting in a safe place where nothing changes. It�s an opportunity to find
joy in the process rather than a product. We can keep our nose on the grindstone
and work toward goals like getting a good job and making lots of money, but
unless we enjoy the process we will soon lose our noses. Theirs never a
guarantee that we'll be compensated for the work we do. We can lose a job and we
can lose money, but if these are the only things that motivate us we�ll soon
lose our motivation. There is nothing wrong with money, but when there is no
money available how does an artist or scientist keep going? Thomas Edison
discovered a thousand things that don�t work before he found one thing that
did. If Tom relied only on external rewards he would have soon lost interest in
the mystery of the burnt out filament and we may still be living in the dark.
Curiosity can be a strong motivator.
Burnt
out brains is more of a problem than
burnt out filaments because burnt out brains are harder to fix. Today we have
CFL and LED lighting and tomorrow we may learn to rely on phosphorescent
lumination, but we if have burnt out brains we�ll never enjoy the fruits of
our labor. Mike has a burnt out brain. He became dependent on the security of a
weekly paycheck to find his self-esteem. Property taxes, food payments, cable
payments, cell-phone payments and mortgage payments made it difficult for Mike
to face the day. He would bolt out his back door and hide under my azalea bush
whenever the mailman makes his rounds. Of course the azalea bush won�t protect
Mike from the bill collectors, but it seems to help him feel in control of the
situation so I let him hide there. Mike works at the Maytag factory as a skilled
mechanic, but his company is in the process of downsizing and Mike�s job is
being replaced with a machine. According to Mike� Life is hard and then you
die.� Mike is not a happy camper and he has given up on the �American
Dream�
Will Mike keep the foreclosures
sign off his front lawn?
Will Mike find peace of mind at his new job?
Will Mike find a place to fit in?
Will money solve Mike�s problems and bring him happiness or will he continue
to hide under my azalea bush?
Money
is important, but there are some things
that money can't buy. We all have a basic human need to fit in and find a
place for ourselves. These needs go beyond the requirements of healthy food and
clean water, and clean air and a clean shelter. We need to feel needed. When
we�re rewarded for the work we do we feel like a valuable member of
society and our self-esteem is given a boost, but when we feel used and taken
advantage of our self-esteem is deflated and our motivation to be creative is
thwarted. Their are long range and short-range solutions to problems, but you'll
need a quick fix to get you out of this hole.
High
praise kept me motivated for a while when
I worked for a defense contractor on Long Island. Expecting financial
compensation, I remained with the company for years, but eventually my
motivation faded as I realized the nature of the dead end job with empty
promises. Praise is an important part of the workplace ethic but empty praise
with empty promises don�t last long. I decided the only employer who I could
truly depend on was myself so I switched professions to become
self-employed. The phone started ringing and I was soon earning a living as a
handy man. The list of satisfied customers started growing and I decided to get
my home improvement license and invest in a cargo van to carry tools. I did this
for over 10 years until one day I had a serious accident and
lost my license. My self-esteem at that time took a nosedive and I became
apprehensive and apathetic like Mike and often shared a space with him under the
azalea bush. To remedy my problem I had to find a new occupation that would use
of both my skills and my passions.
The
national unemployment rate is hovering
around 10% and the actual number of people looking for work is over 20% so
finding a job may be difficult, but I have faith in you. As a matter of fact I
have so much faith in you that I don�t want you to settle for just any job. If
you do that you�ll be back in the same boat you�re in now and you�ll be
hiding with Mike under my azalea bush. You need the confidence and self-esteem
to feel in control of your life. If I say you�re important and talented and
you deserve better will you believe me? I don�t think so. True confidence
comes from within. Don�t be misled by external high praise.
Perception
of progress is easy to see on physical
projects like building a house or painting a room, but home
improvement was off the table for me. I always wanted to build a solar hot
water system so I did. I couldn�t install the system because I didn�t have a
license but I could sell information on building and installing the system. �How_to
Build a Solar Hot water System� was a hit. After one month of advertising
on my newly created website I sold my first copy. Since that time I�ve sold
over two thousand copies and I�ve written five more books. I am the founder of
the yahoo solar thermal energy group with 2,224 members, have a website
with 72 pages and have uploaded over 70 instructional videos on youtube. By
printing and selling my own book I developed a perception of progress needed to
continue writing. You may not become a millionaire
by working for yourself, but then again you may.
Becoming
a millionaire is a little different than
finding a job. According to Steve Martin it�s a two-step process. First
you�ll have to get a million dollars and then you become a millionaire. The
first step in this two-step process difficult. Everyone starts from a different
place but all small green paths lead to one large green road that will take you
home. If you are lost in the jungle of media hype and sales promotions you may
have difficulty finding will yourself before setting out on the adventure of a
lifetime. Stockbrokers have the perfect stock, car salesman have the perfect car
and Duncan Doughnuts has perfect doughnut. What do you have? Finding yourself
takes time so it�s important to begin the self-discovery process as soon as
possible. Strong
Campbel test can help you discover who you are. It�s available at many
employment agencies and it could help you focus on an appropriate profession,
but there is another simple teat that Julialia-Cameron
came up with that will help you today. Once you find yourself the money will
come.
TheJulia Cameron's test is a simple
alternative to the Strong Campbell test that you can take right now. Julia as
you may know is the author of �The Artist Way�. If you answer her questions
honestly you�ll discover who you are and who you can become. You�ll also
discover the people you�ll be able to help and be able to start your trek on
the green road right away. A few adjustments may be needed to accommodate your
profile so don�t think the questions to death. You can
always make adjustments once you�re on the green road. Here are eight
questions designed to put you on a sustainable_path.
1.
Who do you dream of becoming?
2.Who
are your heroes?
3.What
interests were encouraged in childhood?
4.What interests were discouraged in childhood?
5.Who
was the teacher who helped you the most?
6.Which
childhood friend helped you develop your gifts?
7.If
you had a second chance what skills would you develop?
8.What
must you do today to become the person you want to be?
The
path of contentment is a green road.
It�s a way of living in harmony with an ever-changing world rather than
subsisting in a safe place where nothing changes. It�s an opportunity to find
joy in the process rather than a product. We can keep our nose on the grindstone
and work toward goals like getting a good job and making lots of money, but
unless we enjoy the process we will soon lose our noses. Theirs never a
guarantee that we'll be compensated for the work we do. We can lose a job and we
can lose money, but if these are the only things that motivate us we�ll soon
lose our motivation. There is nothing wrong with money, but when there is no
money available how does an artist or scientist keep going? Thomas Edison
discovered a thousand things that don�t work before he found one thing that
did. If Tom relied only on external rewards he would have soon lost interest in
the mystery of the burnt out filament and we may still be living in the dark.
Curiosity can be a strong motivator.
The
national unemployment rate is hovering
around 10% and the actual number of people looking for work is over 20% so
finding a job may be difficult, but I have faith in you. As a matter of fact I
have so much faith in you that I don�t want you to settle for just any job. If
you do that you�ll be back in the same boat you�re in now and you�ll be
hiding with Mike under my azalea bush. You need the confidence and self-esteem
to feel in control of your life. If I say you�re important and talented and
you deserve better will you believe me? I don�t think so. True confidence
comes from within. Don�t be misled by external high praise.
