Do You Believe in the Magic?

We like to believe the magic. I've seen this in two movies so far (and quite a few conversations)...

I'm half-way through Mansfield Park, and Fanny is desperate for that magic love she felt once. She can't accept anything else, even if she risks living alone in poverty forever.

Similarly, in The Adjustment Bureau, the protagonist feels something once, and he's hooked for life. Why do we do this? Should we?

I feel this same feeling when it comes to shopping. I'm serious. I spent an hour shopping online for a travel bag which would make me feel 'magical.' I looked at wheeled duffles, because Chris Brogan loved one; I looked at Dianne Von Fustenberg, because I remembered a reference to her in Life From Scratch; I tried the cheap-o bags, because my dad likes to live sans-frills.

In the end, I chose a bag which is no more functional or beautiful than any other... but it was the one my heart first settled on.

Advertisers try to convince people that this product will give them the 'magic' feeling or they'll get that 'magic' result, but I want to be the kind of marketer who helps a customer access that thing their heart first settled on.

What does that mean? I'm not sure... What would I do? I don't know... But I do know it doesn't include false promises or convincing or hyping. It does honesty.

What are you Working For?

How much is your work worth?

How would you charge for your work if you could charge anything? I mean, really anything.

I'd be tempted to charge myself out for cello lessons or Cirque du Soleil tickets. My work for my boss today was worth at least one cello lesson and half a Cirque du Soleil ticket... I might have found the perfect person to replace me, and I'd say that alone is worth a ticket to Saltimbanco and a nice dinner afterwards...

My point is... I think we've lost sight of the reasons why we go to work.

The dream is to go to work to earn enough money to be able to buy a nice house and have nice kids and have a nice retirement... but one of my parents has a job which costs as much as it pays. It costs money in petrol, car expenses, uniform, taxes, etc. In this case, the personal benefits of the job are worth the expenses, but the question needs to be asked: what are you working for?

What do you love? If you could set your own hourly rate, how would you charge? What are you working for?

[Leave comments below!]

Ways to Tell You are Owned by Your Work

We're currently looking for my replacement as an admin/marketing assistant.

In the midst of me having no personal idea where I will be living/working/laying my head in ten weeks, my boss wants me to help him decide who will replace me here.

The problem is that he doesn't know what he wants, and he doesn't like what I want.

And I got a bit upset. I have built a marketing program here from nothing. I organised the new website, I formatted all the eNewsletters, I have created 12 months of articles and pictures to compliment. I trained myself on a brand-new program and created a clean databse comprising hundreds of hand-picked entries which is now used by two businesses. I...

I discovered that I was owned by what I do. I don't want to see all my efforts reduced to a folder of pictures and files no one looks at anymore. I don't want to see all those beautiful entries in 'my' database become irrelevant and incorrect after a few months of neglect.

But I want to be at peace with thi smore than I want to see this marketing program continue running. At the end of this post, I will have a choice: do I care more about my boss having a successful marketing plan, or do I care more about centering myself on peace and faith?

I choose faith. I choose to believe that the work I did this year has been exciting, illuminating, challenging, and generally beneficial for my personal growth.

My boss' business is... none of my business.

The Choice I Face

I read Pioneer Woman's blog today - apparently she's the bee's knees... and ankles... and pinky toes. As I'm getting more involved with bloggers, I'm discovering who the "big guys" are, and I'm liking them.

There is an art to speaking from the heart like these bloggers do, and that's what Pioneer Woman encouraged me to start with. She told me to talk like I'm talking to my sister.

Problem is... all I have is a cat.
(And she doesn't like me very much)

This blog has been about communications and official-type postings, but I'm feeling the itch to start being more genuine here.

I was caught off-guard by a text this afternoon, from a friend who asked me if I really enjoyed her friendship, or if I am just being polite to her. I didn't quite know what to say, because I was so grateful for her honesty.

When did you lay it all on the line and speak what you felt? What happened?

Lately, I've doubted that this kind of honesty is worth the risk... Can you tell I've been stung in the past? I don't want to doubt that honesty is worth the risk, but I'm seeing that you can't be both honest and safe. What do we choose?

The Problem with Being Babylon

I'm strongly considering buying the "classic" financial/investing book, "The Richest Man in Babylon." I've been told (by all the people who know these things) that's it's THE book to read. And it appeals to me; I believe completely in ancient wisdom. I believe that anything true will always be true, and history will prove what is real and what is false.

Here's my crisis:

The richest man in Babylon... is still in Babylon.

Is that where I want to be? In antiquity, the Israelites passed on to the Promised Land after being captive in Babylon. Do I want to get sucked into this cycle of earning and spending and achieving and spending and striving?

If I don't like that my shelves are full of half-read "good" books and my files are full of "useful" papers I never really use... Why am I doing it?

Where do I want to be? This week I'm going to sit with the questions "Why" and "Where." Why am I doing these things? Where do I want to live: Babylon? Israel? Somewhere else?


How about you? What's your "why" or "where"?

Under the Curtain... (#5)

I've had some trouble choosing my #5 blogger. This one should be something extra special, because I've kept it to last, and it is. But I can't share it with you :)

My all-time favorite blog, the one I would read the instant there's a post on it, the one I will always comment on, because the content is so rich, belongs to my best friend, Peppa. For privacy reasons, I won't include a link to her blog here.

She's not as technical and gutsy as Seth, not as crafty as Nie Nie, not as culinary as Monet, and she has noting like the beautiful design of Jen, but she's part of me.

I read a quote from Paddi Lund (the crazy dentist) which said something like 'people don't buy from businesses because they're the cheapest, people buy from people they like.'

It's true. I am an avid fan of Peppa, because she and I are connected. She is part of me and what she writes is part of my life, too.

The secret to success in blogging, or marketing, or sales, or relationships, is to become part of one another. Establishing trust is one of our core human needs.

Trust cannot be faked and it cannot be bought. Sometimes, trust is instant - that feeling of "clicking" with someone. Mostly, trust takes time.

As we all leave class and head off to our careers and families, consider how what you do creates trust, and how you give out your trust in others. What does it take for you to trust someone? Are there any companies or products you trust? Why?

Leave a comment and let me know...

A. Lot.

Don't ever get this one wrong after you've read this:

hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/.../alot-is-better-than-you-at-everything.html

And the Winner is #4!

Today is all about the number 4 - congratulations Zena! I had the imaginary number four picked in my mind, so you shall be the lucky recipient of some genuine Australian candy. I'll get in touch with you through our class mail to handle the details :)

And, on the theme of #4, my fourth favorite blogger is:

1. Seth Godin
2. Nie Nie (aka Stephanie Nielson)
3. Anecdotes and Apple Cores 
4. Green Wedding Shoes - wedding and design blog - www.greenweddingshoes.com

I don't know much about the author of this blog (Jen Campbell), except that she only shared one photo from her own wedding, while she shares all the intricate details from numerous wedding around the country each week. I searched high and low for it, but it seems to have disappeared entirely...

Jen's blog is a step away from the usual blog, because she rarely shares her own stories, but her posts are still so authentic and captivating. I know all about Monet's broken wine glass last week, but I couldn't even tell you if Jen drinks from glasses, because she rarely shares anything personal. What keeps her blogs so interesting? She shares intimate, personal details from hundreds of other people.

We live vicariously through these strangers and their romantic fairytales...

(a good thought to keep in mind for your own blogging - you don't have to tell your story, just make sure you tell a good story)

I'm not married, nor am I soon planning to be, but I keep coming back for the beautiful, thoughtful, personal design of each event.

My personal favorite is Ben + Catie's 1940's themed wedding. I might be biased, because I share an unusual name with the bride, but the simplicity and confidence of their style was stunning.