Maybe I’m just slow, but every once in a while I come across an idea that changes everything for me and I wished I had realized a lot earlier.
This is not a comprehensive list, but here are my TOP 10 from the year 2018 (in no particular order):
1. Ideas have an expiration date and you can wait too long to act on them.
2. You must commit to deserving money to attract it to you.
3. Lack of forgiveness can mess up your life in a subtle, but powerful way.
4. You have to welcome your Imposter Syndrome and get to know it to overcome its hold on you.
5. Today, not tomorrow, you need a side hustle.
6. With great success comes an even greater need to keep your ego in check or your success will be hollow.
7. You are a worse person (e.g., husband, parent, employee, friend) than you realize because it's difficult to see ourselves clearly and you will rarely be told the truth. And when you are, you probably won't be listening. In the rare instances you do listen, it will hurt a lot, but you will grow and become a better person.
8. The pressure we feel to do something or not is not driven by logic, but rather our warring internal programs that seek to avoid pain.
9. The best way to stop doing something is not to stop doing it, but rather to do something else.
10. A good maxim for dealing with managing people, mechanical repairs, and lots of other areas is: “As soft as possible, as firm as it takes.”
Your Move: What lessons do you wish you had learned earlier in life?
I love it when a junior person asks me for career advice.
It’s not because it makes me feel smarter or because I enjoy mentoring, although both of these are true. The number one reason is because it helps me remember lessons that I might otherwise forget.
As we move up in our careers, we run the risk of forgetting the fundamentals that helped us get here. Seizing the opportunity to reflect in response to a question is a useful antidote.
Recently, a friend asked me a question about interviewing. I could have given him the usual glib answers (e.g., research the company, be prepared with questions, have great stories), but I stopped and really thought about it. The result was I reminded myself of an important principle when it comes to making an effective connection while interviewing. A lightly edited version of our exchange is below.
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Hi Joe,
A copy of my resume is attached to this message. I've put some thought into those questions and I've come up with the following regarding KPMG:
1. What values and traits do you find management and hiring professionals within your firm look for most in new associate candidates?
2. [intentionally omitted]
Thanks,
B.J.
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Hi B.J.,
Great questions. I've interviewed a ton over the years and failed to get the job many times so I'm sharing from my experience. In hindsight I look at this question very differently. One can't actually answer it in a helpful way because the lever you are looking for is something else entirely. Instead, I'd ask what skills do you need and what preparation should you do to strongly connect with each interviewer in front of you? And once you are connected, how can you lead them to believe (honestly) that hiring you will be the best outcome for them, their group, and the organization? They are the protagonist, not you. That's what gives you the best chance.
Good luck!
Joe
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So remember, for the next time, treat each person you meet during your interview as the protagonist. You already have been screened as qualified for the job. Your mission is to show each person how you will help them in their story. Along the way you may find out you don’t want to be a part of their story and that’s okay, too.
Your Move: What have you found to be the most effective thing(s) in preparing for and succeeding in interviews?