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Now that I’m a published author, people often ask me how to become a writer, how to write, what tools I use to write, how to get published, and so on.
Quickly, this is what you need to know about writing:
1.) Write poorly.
2.) Feel great shame about your crappy writing.
3.) Visit that writing the next day and fix it. The next day really works!
4.) Feel better.
In Episode 39 of Happywork TV, I explain where the hell I’ve been for the past four months!
Sneak preview:
1. I prepared to launch a book
2. I was told I was losing my job
3. My book Happywork debuted to great reviews
4. I did quite a few fun speeches related to it
5. At the same time, time to find a new job! I looked far and wide
6. To look for a job, I roughly decided what I wanted my next job to look like, I networked, and I wrote a blog post announcing that I was available for hire. That’s one of the only blog posts I did for those four months, as I decided I needed to single-task in order to stay mentally fit and focus on the job search. I only worried about the job search, probably to the detriment of my book
7. I had 30+ interviews and meetings
8. I had job offers
9. I accepted one of those offers, a wonderful new job
10. It took me 8 weeks to find that job
11. I started working that job, and decided to continue single-tasking, this time on the new job. I want to keep this job (I really like it), so it made sense for me to stay hyper-focused on it
12. But, I do think my book and the subject of happiness and fulfillment in the workplace deserve some attention. So I’m committing to post one video a week
13. Ooooh, lucky 13 – wish me luck!
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IMPORTANT STUFF!
Both the e-book and paperback versions of Happywork are now available! Order it up!
Test drive it first & see if you like it – Download chapters 1-3 of my book for free!
Please SUBSCRIBE to my email newsletter! Pretty please – you’ll get these blog posts delivered to you automatically. Thank you!
I recently tweeted out an article from The Atlantic titled “What Good Is Thinking About Death?”
Mark Reardon, my radio buddy from KMOX 1120 here in St Louis, saw the article and had me in the studio to discuss, of all things, DEATH. Not always the best subject, but the stoics may have been on to something. Facing death gives us the chance to really live while we’re living!
And click here to laugh about death:
Someone or something online bothering you? Eliminate it. Slice it out of your life with no remorse. Take a walk, breathe fresh air, and return to doing YOUR work. We all have a shortage of time – never enough time to get it all done.
Ignore meaningless external stimuli, as there is clearly no shortage of that.
To the very best of your ability, circumstances willing, focus on your work, and toil diligently to shut out the trash talk, the insults, THE COMMENTS SECTION! None of that helps you achieve anything except feeling like crap.
And in the irony of all ironies, I invite you to DISCUSS IT HERE ON FACEBOOK.
In Episode 38 of Happywork TV, we talk about the next commitment in the work code of conduct I’ve created called “The Happywork Agreement.”
This is a commitment that employers are going to make to their employees.
Here it is: “If an employee resigns, I will not make it hard on them. There’s no reason to haze or hate on people who are leaving the organization, even if they leave during a tough stretch. Timing is never good on things like this, and I acknowledge that. We need to look inward to see what happened, and we need to remember that these departing employees could turn out to be great walking, talking ambassadors for us (or just the opposite).”
Hating on departing employees is a terrible thing to do to a fellow human being, but it’s also bad business. Their work friends are still employed by you; don’t think they’re not going to find out how you mistreated your ex-employee. That’s a morale killer. The outgoing employee will tell everyone she knows that you were a jerkface to her. She may even start working it into some of her public presentations. That is NOT the kind of PR you need. Prospective employees will look her up on LinkedIn and ask to “pick her brain,” and she’ll get a chance to tell them to avoid going to work for you.
Why act like a jerk to departing employees? Yes, you’re a little pussyhurt because they’re leaving you. They’re breaking up with you! It’s really all about you!
Get a grip on yourself. You are not the center of the universe. They’re leaving. It sucks. Be nice to them (as long as they’re nice to you). And then, go find someone better!
— — — — —
— — — — —
IMPORTANT STUFF!
Both the e-book and paperback versions of Happywork are now available! Order it up!
Test drive it first & see if you like it – Download chapters 1-3 of my book for free!
Please SUBSCRIBE to my email newsletter! Pretty please – you’ll get these blog posts delivered to you automatically. Thank you!
Thanks to all who have played a role in bringing my art to the marketplace. Today, February 17, 2015, Happywork hits the streets, and I’m thrilled and honored.
