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.
Twelve Benefits of a Christmas Birthday
My birth date competes with the birth of a holy savior and the largest commercial holiday of the year. Many people hear that and cringe. Almost everyone asks about combined gifts, getting swept under the rug, or relocating the celebration to the summer solstice. While I wouldn’t mind being able to see friends on my birthday every once in a while, I absolutely love my birthday. My parents always worked hard to make sure I got my fair share of gifts and attention. I am lucky and blessed. Some of the other notable benefits:
1. I get to pick the menu.
2. Almost everyone has the day off.
3. I only need to write thank you notes once a year.
4. You get to spend the day with family, even members who live far away.
5. Old friends are in town, making it easier to connect and party around the date.
6. You’re not the only one opening gifts (it’s awkward otherwise).
7. Presents can be bigger and more expensive.
8. It’s better than being overshadowed by Christmas with a birthday just before or after.
9. Everyone is usually in good spirits.
10. The world decorates, plays music, and anticipates my birthday.
11. It’s impossible for me and close friends to forget.
12. It feels like a special date (rather than just another work day)
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.
Agree to Disagree
Is it really worth the time to win every argument? Wars are expensive, untimely, and leave most people on both sides confused. Arguments are the same way. They arise when you least expect it. Sometimes stakes are involved. Most of the time, however, only your pride is on the table. What’s more valuable – your time or your pride? You don’t have to win every argument. Take pride in knowing you save yourself a few minutes of precious time.
Peripheral Vision and Opportunity
Keep your eyes open all the time. You never know what opportunities lie at the edge of your vision. Keep your mind free to all possibilities. Focus may be productive, but it has a very negative side effect: myopia. The real pros do not ruthlessly blockade distractions from their lives; they listen to all options, see everything, and train themselves to sort through variables faster than everyone else. If you want to rule the world, learn to dissect the world efficiently. Pay attention to everything and consider it all before filtering away. The email at the bottom of the list, the girl in the corner of the room, or that side panel advertisement may actually be the most important twists in your life. But you’ll never know unless your mind’s eye stays open.
End on a Good Note
Finish the day having completed something. Finish the meal with your favorite bite. Finish the conversation with a hug and a smile. Finish happy and fulfilled.
Life is full of transitions. Each step bleeds into the next. Want to increase the odds of a great next step? End the previous step on a good note and carry that sense of accomplishment forward.
Never end on a bad note. No matter how painful, it’s worth the fight to make things right. It’s worth the energy and time to end things well.
Craig Ormiston 