If you wake up and curse the day ahead, you already lose. Meet the day with pride and determination. Wake up early if that makes you feel better and face the day head on. Convince yourself it will be a good day and have no doubt in your mind. Positive energy goes a long way in the universe.
Category Archives: Life
Treat Wounds Immediately
Or else they’ll get infected. And I’m not just talking about flesh and blood. Emotional, economic, relational, publicity, etc. All wounds, if left unattended for too long, get deeper and more complicated. Scar tissue starts to build around the wound and make it permanent. Attending to the injury right away may be the only way to prevent or tame scarring. Give the wound all the attention it needs as soon as you can – or risk living with it forever.
Treat Loneliness Like A Shark
When I was 13 years old, I realized the popular kids were not always happy – they just looked really happy when they were busy hanging out with friends (which was often, but not always). When they went home and found themselves alone, they suffered the same withdrawal that I did when they thought too hard about it (some hyper-social kids are never comfortable alone and have worse withdrawals than anyone else). We find ourselves at our lowest points at home left alone with nothing but our thoughts. In rough patches, these lulls sap our energy, optimism, and confidence. Loneliness cripples us.
The popular kids taught me early on that staying busy and surrounding yourself with good people dramatically increases your positive energy and quality of life. Like a shark, you are happier if you keep moving. Stay active, keep friends close, and only stop to reflect if you dare. Before long, you might even become the popular kid.
Sacrifice Only When Worthy
It’s not worth losing sleep over anything undeserving of your sacrifice. Trivial tasks that won’t matter in twelve months should never warrant pain. If the little things do not add up to important big things, then set them aside and call it a day. Only kill yourself for the greater good, the higher context, and the meaningful mission. But please do not literally kill yourself – I do not recommend it.
From Within
Love and respect yourself first before the world can love and respect you. No ego; your passion for self is not an admirable discussion topic. Rather, you must find happiness and pride in your life and share it. Without them, you will lack the confidence to make an impression on this world. Without strength inside, you can do little good outside.
Mortal Passion
You could die tomorrow. Probably not. But who knows. Today may be your last. The activities, tasks, and adventures before you may fill your final chapter. Coast through it if you want. Or face it with a mortal passion. Accept every challenge, job, and event as if you will never get the opportunity to do it again. Pour your heart and soul into it. Give it all you’ve got.
If you find the work unworthy of your mortality, you better find something else to do before it’s too late.
Bringing People Together
I left Los Angeles because it was too difficult to get around and randomly run into people. When your world is not colliding with the worlds of others, it’s exceedingly difficult to coordinate, collaborate, and compete. If you want to accomplish a lot in this lifetime, it makes a big difference living in an environment where you can always find someone to share ideas with. If you are not in that environment, then you need to consider leaving or find a way to build that environment where you’re at. Many groups in San Francisco and New York have taken the coffee shop to the next level by organizing co-working spaces where like-minded thinkers gather at their own pace and immerse themselves in the productivity of mutual togetherness. Surround yourself with people. It makes a huge difference – not only for your productivity, but also for your social and spiritual life.
At every opportunity, sound the horn and bring people together. Throw a party, call a conference, organize a lunch – whatever it takes. Host an event, get people in the door, and thrive.
Reputation
It takes a lot of work and time to build a reputation. Making an impression is one thing (and certainly an important part of the battle). But the real challenge lies in being what you claim to be. If you want to have the reputation of a genius or comedian, then you actually need to be smart or funny. The shell of a person is only so thick and easily shattered. At the core, you must be everything you want to be and more. Until you are who you want to be on the inside, there’s no way you’ll ever be the person you want to be on the outside. Never waiver in your character or dreams; that’s where reputation comes from.
My Birthday Wish
Tomorrow, I turn 24. For my birthday, I have only one favor to ask you: let your loved ones know you appreciate them. Be creative, fancy, or just plain sincere. No matter how you do it, make sure they know they are loved. And know that I love you. Thank you for making my 23rd year on this planet a warm adventure.
Cheers,
Craig
Savings: The Game
The best financial advice I received upon graduating college: always have enough cash in savings to survive for at least six months without income. I took that advice with a vengeance. Savings not only provide you with a security blanket, they award you the confidence and flexibility to make major life changes. The risks of quitting a job, changing cities, moving into a new place, taking on a life partner, and having children are dampened by the relative stability of an earned allowance. I would not have felt comfortable quitting my job, leaving Hollywood, and moving to Denver without the cash buffer I built since graduating.
Yes, savings are difficult to accrue. It takes discipline, commitment, and a passion to see numbers grow. I treat my savings like a game: I want to get the high score. With online banking, it’s easier than ever to convince yourself those numbers are points on a leader board. Have fun with it and take pleasure knowing your high score means something real.
If you are living paycheck to paycheck, you need to find a way to make more money or live cheaper. And who really wants to live cheaper? Negotiate a raise, yo! But we’ll save that conversation for another time.
Craig Ormiston 