Your streams of income

Your streams of income I found unemployment to be a great time to reflect on where I was at and where I was headed. I wrote about a story I heard from a mentor right after I got laid off (see the Potted Plant article in the library you must be logged in to see it). A few months before I was laid off I got the Multiple Streams of Income book from the library and read through it (not very good reading but I scanned through to pick up on the principles, ideas and examples). The concept is simple dont rely on just one stream of income have many. This idea had always been appealing to me but I had 2 problems: 1. I never had time, as work consumed about 10 hours a day and I wasnt interested in starting something else. 2. I didnt have any great ideas I would love to have had the next best mousetrap but I didnt allow myself to be creative enough to figure anything out or at least I didnt think I could come up with anything. Well, unemployment took care of the first issue I had time coming out my ears. I didnt really think about the second issue because I was so focused on getting my primary stream back. As time went on I began to think of self-employment ideas and over time realized that I wasnt sure what my primary income would ever be. I didnt ever, ever want to be in a situation where 90% or more of my income would be in control of a boss or owner. Sure I do a great job, give it my all and am a great employee. I add value to the company. Im sure you do also. But every employee is at risk of losing their job. Your primary stream is ALWAYS at risk! Isnt that scary? So I thought about a few businesses that I could start. I still have a few on the back burner. I only had one criteria I didnt want something that would consume me especially once it got up and running. One of the ideas in the book is to get something in motion and then hand it off and you take a portion of the revenue/profit perpetually. Sounds easy. Too easy. But here is what Ive learned. In the last month or two of interviews Ive asked if there is a conflict of interest if I run a business on the side. Every time I asked the response was no, actually Larry (down the hall) runs a business, and I have a few things on the side, and so and so What I learned was that many working folks have their own thing on the side! Im a latecomer to this party! Think about what you could do on the side. Perhaps you can get a spouse or brother involved. Maybe a non-relative partner. Ill never be in a situation where my entire income can be wiped away by a strategic decision, whim of an owner, or politicking by someone else. I recommend the same to you. JobCentral.com provides jobs online across the U.S. Your streams of income I found unemployment to be a great time to reflect on where I was at and where I was headed. I wrote about a story I heard from a mentor right after I got laid off (see the Potted Plant article in the library you must be logged in to see it). A few months before I was laid off I got the Multiple Streams of Income book from the library and read through it (not very good reading but I scanned through to pick up on the principles, ideas and examples). The concept is simple dont rely on just one stream of income have many. This idea had always been appealing to me but I had 2 problems: 1. I never had time, as work consumed about 10 hours a day and I wasnt interested in starting something else. 2. I didnt have any great ideas I would love to have had the next best mousetrap but I didnt allow myself to be creative enough to figure anything out or at least I didnt think I could come up with anything. Well, unemployment took care of the first issue I had time coming out my ears. I didnt really think about the second issue because I was so focused on getting my primary stream back. As time went on I began to think of self-employment ideas and over time realized that I wasnt sure what my primary income would ever be. I didnt ever, ever want to be in a situation where 90% or more of my income would be in control of a boss or owner. Sure I do a great job, give it my all and am a great employee. I add value to the company. Im sure you do also. But every employee is at risk of losing their job. Your primary stream is ALWAYS at risk! Isnt that scary? So I thought about a few businesses that I could start. I still have a few on the back burner. I only had one criteria I didnt want something that would consume me especially once it got up and running. One of the ideas in the book is to get something in motion and then hand it off and you take a portion of the revenue/profit perpetually. Sounds easy. Too easy. But here is what Ive learned. In the last month or two of interviews Ive asked if there is a conflict of interest if I run a business on the side. Every time I asked the response was no, actually Larry (down the hall) runs a business, and I have a few things on the side, and so and so What I learned was that many working folks have their own thing on the side! Im a latecomer to this party! Think about what you could do on the side. Perhaps you can get a spouse or brother involved. Maybe a non-relative partner. Ill never be in a situation where my entire income can be wiped away by a strategic decision, whim of an owner, or politicking by someone else. I recommend the same to you. JobCentral.com provides jobs online across the U.S. Your streams of income I found unemployment to be a great time to reflect on where I was at and where I was headed. I wrote about a story I heard from a mentor right after I got laid off (see the Potted Plant article in the library you must be logged in to see it). A few months before I was laid off I got the Multiple Streams of Income book from the library and read through it (not very good reading but I scanned through to pick up on the principles, ideas and examples). The concept is simple dont rely on just one stream of income have many. This idea had always been appealing to me but I had 2 problems: 1. I never had time, as work consumed about 10 hours a day and I wasnt interested in starting something else. 2. I didnt have any great ideas I would love to have had the next best mousetrap but I didnt allow myself to be creative enough to figure anything out or at least I didnt think I could come up with anything. Well, unemployment took care of the first issue I had time coming out my ears. I didnt really think about the second issue because I was so focused on getting my primary stream back. As time went on I began to think of self-employment ideas and over time realized that I wasnt sure what my primary income would ever be. I didnt ever, ever want to be in a situation where 90% or more of my income would be in control of a boss or owner. Sure I do a great job, give it my all and am a great employee. I add value to the company. Im sure you do also. But every employee is at risk of losing their job. Your primary stream is ALWAYS at risk! Isnt that scary? So I thought about a few businesses that I could start. I still have a few on the back burner. I only had one criteria I didnt want something that would consume me especially once it got up and running. One of the ideas in the book is to get something in motion and then hand it off and you take a portion of the revenue/profit perpetually. Sounds easy. Too easy. But here is what Ive learned. In the last month or two of interviews Ive asked if there is a conflict of interest if I run a business on the side. Every time I asked the response was no, actually Larry (down the hall) runs a business, and I have a few things on the side, and so and so What I learned was that many working folks have their own thing on the side! Im a latecomer to this party! Think about what you could do on the side. Perhaps you can get a spouse or brother involved. Maybe a non-relative partner. Ill never be in a situation where my entire income can be wiped away by a strategic decision, whim of an owner, or politicking by someone else. I recommend the same to you. JobCentral.com provides jobs online across the U.S. Your streams of income I found unemployment to be a great time to reflect on where I was at and where I was headed. I wrote about a story I heard from a mentor right after I got laid off (see the Potted Plant article in the library you must be logged in to see it). A few months before I was laid off I got the Multiple Streams of Income book from the library and read through it (not very good reading but I scanned through to pick up on the principles, ideas and examples). The concept is simple dont rely on just one stream of income have many. This idea had always been appealing to me but I had 2 problems: 1. I never had time, as work consumed about 10 hours a day and I wasnt interested in starting something else. 2. I didnt have any great ideas I would love to have had the next best mousetrap but I didnt allow myself to be creative enough to figure anything out or at least I didnt think I could come up with anything. Well, unemployment took care of the first issue I had time coming out my ears. I didnt really think about the second issue because I was so focused on getting my primary stream back. As time went on I began to think of self-employment ideas and over time realized that I wasnt sure what my primary income would ever be. I didnt ever, ever want to be in a situation where 90% or more of my income would be in control of a boss or owner. Sure I do a great job, give it my all and am a great employee. I add value to the company. Im sure you do also. But every employee is at risk of losing their job. Your primary stream is ALWAYS at risk! Isnt that scary? So I thought about a few businesses that I could start. I still have a few on the back burner. I only had one criteria I didnt want something that would consume me especially once it got up and running. One of the ideas in the book is to get something in motion and then hand it off and you take a portion of the revenue/profit perpetually. Sounds easy. Too easy. But here is what Ive learned. In the last month or two of interviews Ive asked if there is a conflict of interest if I run a business on the side. Every time I asked the response was no, actually Larry (down the hall) runs a business, and I have a few things on the side, and so and so What I learned was that many working folks have their own thing on the side! Im a latecomer to this party! Think about what you could do on the side. Perhaps you can get a spouse or brother involved. Maybe a non-relative partner. Ill never be in a situation where my entire income can be wiped away by a strategic decision, whim of an owner, or politicking by someone else. I recommend the same to you. JobCentral.com provides jobs online across the U.S.

Personal Branding Interview C.C. Chapman - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Interview C.C. Chapman - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today, I spoke to C.C. Chapman, who is the author of Content Rules and the Founder of Digital Dads. In this interview, C.C. talks about why he wrote his book, how to get your content to stand out in the masses, tips of writing good content, and more. Why does content rule? What made you want to write the book? Ive had a life long goal to write a book and after passing on a couple of offers to write books that my heart wouldnt have been in this opportunity presented itself and I had to jump on it. Content has always ruled our lives. It is why the first televisions were such a big deal and why radio still exists. Since the first human drew on a cave wall, others have been enjoying that content. It will always evolve, but it will never go away. There are over 145 million blogs, 2 billion tweets each month, and that doesnt even include the content that mainstream media publishes. How can you make your content stand out and be noticed these days? And the really crazy thing is those numbers are going up every day. This is one of the big things we lay out in the book is our 11 Content Rules that we believe will help not only make your content stand out, but get a reaction. It isnt a magical formula, but it also isnt rocket science. After helping companies of all sizes be successful in doing this I feel confident to share what Ive learned with others. What are your top three tips for writing powerful content that people will want to read? Have an opinion and stick to it. Far to much of the writing today tries to play nice and never really take a stand. Journalists have to remain objective, but the great thing about the online world is that you can and should have an opinion. Instead of writing another list or covering the latest tech news, do that BUT put yourself into the writing. Dont pull punches or be scared to share your thoughts if they are different than the norm. If you want to stand our, you must put yourself into the writing. What are some things to avoid when writing content and publishing it online? This depends on your audience. What I can get away with is very different than what a client might be able to. We talk in the book about how every company must truly find its voice to be successful. This gets thrown around a lot, but it is very true and will serve as a compass for every piece of content you create moving forward. Keep in mind that anything you publish online is instantly shareable and anyone can comment on. Be ready for that and have some form of listening dashboard set up so that you are not just throwing the content up and then forgetting about it. There are many different ways to distribute content, including a webinar, blog, video, etc. How do you know when to use which? We get this in conjunction with which one you should try first. What I usually ask is what kind of content do they like to create. Ann is really into writing and I prefer photography. Think about what you enjoy doing and then start creating content on that platform. If it doesnt seem to be getting traction, talk to your customers and see what they are interested in. Never be afraid to ask your community what theyd like to to see, hear or read more of. The answers might surprise you. - C.C. Chapman is a modern day renaissance man who lives every day to inspire others to be their best. He is the author of the book Content Rules (Wiley 2010) and the Founder of Digital Dads, where a Dad can be a Guy. As a consultant, C.C. has helped a variety of clients embrace all forms of new media and online marketing to take their campaigns to the next level. His work has won awards and clients have included HBO, American Eagle Outfitters, Verizon FiOS and The Coca-Cola Company. C.C. has a passion for being on stage and loves nothing more than motivating a room full of people. He was one of the first professional podcasters and continues to share his knowledge and insights on the popular Managing the Gray. He is a graduate of Bentley University and lives outside of Boston with his loving wife and family. Find out more at CC-Chapman.com.

Will taking drugs help your career Maybe you need Adderall

Will taking drugs help your career Maybe you need Adderall Most of us have a terrible time focusing on our work. Left uninterrupted, we are likely to interrupt ourselves. The Internet, everyones interrupter of choice, is the most tantalizing type of reward system to our brain: intermittent but unpredictable rewards, in the form of a randomly great video or a juicy email here or there. (This is also why kids love to whine to get what they want. Parents give in only when they are at their wits end, creating, from a childs perspective, a similar, randomly yummy reward system.) Each time we interrupt ourselves at work, the process to get us back to that point of focus takes twenty-five minutes. So we spend nearly a third of our work day recovering from interruptions, trying to recover our focus. The time management gurus are all over this problem. Winifred Gallagher is the author of Rapt: Attention and the Focused Life. The thesis of the book is that the ability to positively wield your attention is the key to your quality of life. Gallagher says (in either her book or in the article that I am liberally quoting from Im not sure which, but I am distracted enough by the issue that I feel compelled to distract you as well) You cant be happy all the time but you can pretty much focus all the time. Thats about as good as it gets. That sounds true to me. We each have a certain amount of attention, and our quality of life depends on how wisely we invest our attention. I have written about how self-discipline is the key to happiness. And then I have written about how knowing that has not helped me much because self-discipline is not an easy nut to crack. Now I am wondering if attentiveness is the way to achieve self-discipline. You find your goalthe stuff that is really super importantand you focus on it. That focus creates enough self-discipline to do what you need to achieve the goal. But that isnt just my idea. There are others thinking the same thing. Merlin Mann has one of the most popular productivity blogs, and hes raking in money teaching executives (who surely are too focused to have time to read blogs) to be more productive in their workday. Merlin Mann says that the key to productivity is attention, not lifehacks. Heres a gem from Manns interview with Anderson in New York magazine: On the web theres a certain kind of encouragement to never ask yourself how much information you really need. But when I get to the point where Im seeking advice twelve hours a day on how to take a nap or what kind of notebook to buy, Im so far off the idea of lifehacks that its indistinguishable from where we started. Theres very little advice right now to tell people that the only thing to do is action, and everything else is horseshit. Okay. So notice this about focus: You are not actually able to be productive without focus. So we can stop looking for the ultimate moleskin notebook or the perfect Firefox extension because those are actually productivity distractions. The hardest thing about productivity is figuring out what is the number one thing on your to do list. After that, you need to focus on doing that one thing. Mann says, Theres no shell script, theres no fancy pen, theres no notebook or nap or Firefox extension or hack thats gonna help you figure out why the fuck youre here. Maybe what you need instead is Adderall. Officially, Adderall is prescribed to treat ADHD. Unofficially, it is the drug of choice for Gen Y. Adderall, or other drugs that treat ADHD, give a typical brain an intense ability to focus for long periods of time. I got most of my Adderall information from a great article in the New Yorker by Margaret Talbot titled Brain Gain: The underground world of neuroenhancing drugs. In it, Sean Esteban McCabe, from the University of Michigans Substance Abuse Research Center says that at some universities, up to 20% of the population is using these drugs: White male undergraduates at highly competitive schoolsespecially in the Northeastare the most frequent collegiate users of neuro-enhancers. Anjan Chatterjee, a neurologist at the University of Pennsylvania , coined the term cosmetic neurology to describe the trend of taking drugs to enhance ordinary cognition. He says, Many sectors of society have winner-take-all conditions in which small advantages produce disproportionate rewards. That resonates with me. I have already decided that cosmetic surgery is a must-have career tool for the high performers. So why not consider cosmetic neurology as well? Joshua Foer wrote about his own Adderall experiment in Slate, and it sounds glorious: The part of my brain that makes me curious about whether I have new emails in my in box apparently shut down. So I decided that maybe I should give the Adderall a whirl. But then I started getting worried. Because I read research from Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse that shows Adderall is addictive. Not addictive like crystal meth. But addictive like, if you have a proclivity to addictive behaviors, you are a sitting duck for this one. Because drugs that increase dopamine have the potential for abuse, these results suggest that risk for addiction in vulnerable persons merits heightened awareness. That scared me. But what really scared me is that the cost of gaining extreme focus is often losing extreme creativity. A good example is Paul Philips, a professional poker player who won more than a million dollars after taking Adderall to help him. The scary thing about the Philips example is that Adderall also helped him resist the impulse to keep playing losing hands out of boredom. I think we have some of our most creative moments when we are doing odd stuff to quell boredom. That is, when we are not focused at all. Cognitive psychologists have found that there is a trade-off between attentional focus and creativity, says Martha Farah, director of the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience. There is evidence that individuals who are better able to focus on one thing and filter out distractions tend to be less creative. Maybe its better just to do lots of things at once without great focus but with natural creativity. Focusing on focus seems to distract from the real issue, which is knowing what you value most. Do we know that? And if we did know that, maybe our focus would come naturally from that. And our lack of time management comes from a lack of self-discipline which comes from a lack of focus which comes from a lack of knowing the meaning of life. And well never know that. So maybe we should just be happy that we have our lack of focus because that enables our creativity. And we dont know the meaning of life, but we do know that we each get to create our own life, and that, in the end, may be the only guarantee we have.