Should I stay..

Or should I go?

If you know the song I am referencing, CONGRATS you know your juke box indie rock.  One consistent fixture you will notice in my writing is the passion I have for music and it's ability to sum up what a person feels.  I started listening to the Clash for vintage rock purposes.  One of my favorite songs they have is called "Should I stay or Should I go?"  The songs' purpose is mainly about a man that is telling a woman does she want him to be around in her life or not.  This can apply to an employer relationship.  To reference the beginning of the song's lyrics:

"Darling you got to let me know
Should I stay or should I go?
If you say that you are mine
I'll be here 'til the end of time
So you got to let me know
Should I stay or should I go?"

In sales, have you ever encountered where you feel less wanted but neither side wants to make the change?  Deep down, you are slowly beginning to doubt what you once believed was the right idea.  Once that doubt sets in, sarcasm flows through your body like comedian Steven Wright.  Once you get to that point, it's very hard to turn back.  You built up your territory three grueling years and feel unappreciated.  What used to be fun now seems like a grind.  Like any relationship, it takes so much work that there are days you are exhausted.  The most troubling thing is..

You got so comfortable that you lost sight of why you are staying.  

Management doesn't dwell on those huge wins you gave the company.  They instead, focus on your current situation and what you haven't done.  Management values you enough to keep you but not enough to reward or truly acknowledge you.    You do enough to postpone whatever judgement they may have for your future.  All the while, you're thinking to yourself....

Should I stay or should I go? -Not that easy to answer.

If you go, you face an uncomfortable situation of  having to relearn and train with another company.  You then have to adapt to their culture and "fit" in all over again.  Everything is more unknown because you don't know what  to anticipate.

If you stay, you face a situation where the lines blur. You start questioning every decision you have made thus far and it becomes difficult to maintain a positive attitude.  Like any relationship, the nurturing environment turns into going through the motions until you reach a breaking point.  You want your company to say, "We love you and we want you here."  Your company has moved on just like you have but they want you to make the decision (Also to avoid paying you unemployment)




Now Playing- "Should I stay or should I go?"

You can't get it back!

Harvey Mackay couldn't sum this quote up any better.  For anyone who loves motivational information and career advice, He is one of the more informative figures to read.

Time is the one thing you can't get back.  I often take self meditation lately.  It helps me to assess the health of my motivation and brain.  It becomes tough to stay the course of projects.  I get frustrated and figuratively throw my laptop at a proverbial wall.  I get overwhelmed just like other people and murmur the words,

"I just don't have the time to do this."

 We have all said these words and will continue to say them because it's the easy way out of conflict and situations. It becomes a disease that spreads throughout our body every time it is said. It gives us a sense of justification that it's OK to give excuses.  Like Mackay's quote says, time is free but it's priceless. It's an intangible like intellectual property that overtime, builds wealth.   If it's not utilized, it affects our finances, goals, and even family.  You can't physically touch time.  There is no remote control that I can push like in the movie "Click" or "Back to the future" where you can pause a moment and change the outcome.

I spend time on many things every day yet I can't expense it.  I can't really quantify my time spent on projects.  They say it's an opportunity cost yet it contradicts the great aspect of Time being free.

Time is more valuable than money

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A Jim Rohn quote that I always reference when looking at my time. You can lose 100 dollars and eventually, it will balance out.  There are times where finances will be tight, but you can make more money.  Once your time is lost, you are never EVER able to get it back.   If you lose time because you wasted it on something that was not that important, you can't balance that.    This becomes increasingly important in family matters.

#Almost30

Time has flown by extremely fast!

It seemed like just the other day I was a 23 year old that was ready to own the world and be six figures by the time I was 30.  I had these grandiose plans and the energy to initially get there.  I was extremely driven and ambitious to the point of being selfish.

6.5 years later I've noticed at 29 I am different from when I was 23.  I still am very ambitious but I'm starting to see the true values of what I wanted to accomplish and my "legacy".

Excuse me for semi TV Plagiarism, but there was a "Chappelle's Show" episode where comedian Dave Chappelle talked about how he saw the world at 18, 24, and 30.  It was called "The three Daves."

 This episode was brilliant because everyone can relate to how they see the world at each critical age.  I feel like as I get older, I handle different situations with more grace and humility than when I was younger.  Let's see some examples...

Scenario 1- VENTING

Age 23- I used to be the annoying kid that vented every single thing on FaceBook.  If I was mad I'd say everything on Facebook about my situation for 700 plus people to see.  When I struggled to get jobs in music, it wasn't uncommon to see...

"F--- you, I know I'm dope."  -Clearly I had issues grasping with rejections.




Age 29-  I realized I can't invest so much emotion in things that just weren't meant to be.  Sure, I still get disappointed when I face rejection but I've learned to remain humble and have the attitude of "on to the next one."  At 23, I didn't realize everything I say is going to be on social media for people to see forever.  Fortunately I did not have many venting posts like others. I'm not even on Facebook anymore other than to talk close family members that are far away.



Scenario 2- Proving people wrong

Age 23-  The energy I had at 23 was volatile and almost borderline overzealous.  I was had this ability to just wear most people out.  Debates, video games, stare downs, I always expended this energy to prove people wrong.

Age 29-  Energy expended on things you can't control leads to unnecessary stress.  This might explain the 2-3 grey hairs on my head.   I honestly don't care (as much) about using all my energy to prove people wrong. I've learned the true art of "pick your battles."



Scenario 3- Being on time

Age 23- Slacker that only made A's when I tried(unless it was math--I was cool with that C)  I used to always wait until the last minute to finish things or complete them. Dragging my feet was something at 23 I was bad at. I can't even use "CP time." 1

Age 29-  OK. Maybe I'm not as completely different here.




Scenario 4- Micromanaging Managers

Age 23- Frustrated with micro-managers it was the one trait I HATED with bosses.  I know how to do my work I don't need you breathing down my neck every step of the way.  (eyes roll)  Here comes another Facebook rant explaining my distaste for being micromanaged.

Age 29- OK. Take a deep breath and realize some people can't help their habits.  Instead of fighting with the micro-manager, MANAGE the micro-manager.  They have a schedule they adhere to and if I can work and stay two steps ahead of them, they will stop trying to micro-manage because I am presenting them with extra work.

#RandomThought

So it's Friday and everyone in the office is a little loopy.  The weekend is fast approaching and my brain is on the verge of being on shut down mode.  I've had a lot to take in this week and it can be overwhelming.

As a creative mind, my thoughts race faster than the indy 500.  I'm always thinking of a million ideas and concepts.  Some of them are great--Some of them are outlandish and crazy. Here is a random thought!

Thought 1: If a cow laughed, would milk squirt out its nose?

Crazy to ask this but I've always been curious if Cows laugh at all.  The only animal with the capability to laugh is a Hyena.  Have you ever thought of nonsensical stuff that partly you were curious about?



Super Random inner Thought:  On Rocko's Modern life they had a male Cow named Heffer.  I'm pretty sure Heffer is the name for a female cow.  Wouldn't he be a steer?  Cartoons did such a masterful job at innuendo and inside jokes geared toward the adults watching with their children.

Now Playing- Rocko's Modern life theme https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HmEGRVUcR0

Guess what DAY it IS!!!

Come On.....You know you want to say it.

For non conforming purposes, we will call it Wednesday.




No, not this Wednesday. (Kudos for anyone who can reference this character)

I'm talking about Wednesday.   In every office department you can hear at least a couple of people yell Hump Day!  Looking up the history behind Wednesday is slightly tricky.  If you Google search Wednesday, the first things that pop up are:



The history of Ash Wednesday and  definitions that define Wednesday as: The day before Thursday that is after Tuesday.  Not much of a big help for a man as curious as I am.  I had to dig deeper at the true
meaning of Wednesday.




















Sometimes I have to channel my inner SEO strategist to find the answers I need.  Google does a great initial job but sometimes we need to dig down more.  "The history of Wednesday" is too broad.

I found my answer at crowl.org.  Wednesday actually comes from the old English word "Woden's Day."  Woden is the chief Anglo-Saxon/Teutonic god. Woden is the leader of the Wild Hunt. Woden is from wod "violently insane" + -en "headship". He is identified with the Norse Odin.

Interesting to note that Wednesday is derived from words like: violently insane + headship.  From that definition maybe it does pertain to that little girl in the picture from a few sentences above text.  I look at Wednesday as being the day that indicates the weekend is approaching for me.  The grind of Monday and Tuesday are like a metaphorical Zip-Line process.  I keep climbing that hill to the top with various obstacles in my way. A couple of times boulders are being thrown directly at my head but I keep climbing. Once I stretch out for that last step....I pause and look at my accomplishment.

Now the fun starts....I...


 Zip-Line through the air with this symbolizing my weekend and not holding back.  Once I get to the bottom, I know I may need to climb again the next week.  Pardon the Costa Rica references as I will sneak one or two in the next few posts.

Now Playing John Frusciante- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3vy4nmGAyk

Pura Vida!!!

This phrase is a true meaning to the locals in Costa Rica.  It carries a profound way of life that means "Pure Life."  I didn't realize how important this phrase was until I visited Costa Rica.

You see I haven't written a blog post in months.  It wasn't because of laziness at all either.  I don't like to make excuses but I really had nothing interesting to truly bring to attention.  My job has been steady and my entrepreneurial project has faced it's trials and tribulations.  I am in the process of a career change for the better.  I will inform those of this upcoming career change in a later post--PURA VIDA!

The phrase is so powerful I have found myself still saying it here in the United States. Like a kid with tourettes I randomly shou...PURA VIDA! I can't even finish sentences without saying it.  When you start to understand what it means from the locals point of view, you start to understand their way of life.  Enjoy life and be happy.  Some people can make enjoying life the most difficult task you encounter.

   I recently visited Jaco Beach, Costa Rica.  The streets during the day are filled with laid back people hustling even with their family present.  At night, it comes alive.  So many talented local dancers putting me to shame to Marc Antony's "Vivir Mi Vida."  For anyone that has visited you will notice Jaco Beach is very laid back and a beach town.  Amazing views, birds, iguanas, and crushing waves make it an experience to not forget. The main reason for visiting Costa Rica was we as friends, lost a soldier.  By losing a solider, I mean that this friend is getting married and it was a bachelor getaway.  Celebrating the time as friends was a moment I will never forget.  We have all known each other 10 plus years and have seen each other grow into the men we are today.

Throughout this trip with best friends, I learned three important things about myself.

1. Fearful--Not less

 I always thought I had a sense of bravado in my life.  I arrived in Costa Rica encountering activities that truly scared the crap out of me.  I was afraid to do Zip-lining.  I was afraid to do the trail for ATV's.  I was afraid of so many things because I didn't know what to expect.  The locals of Jaco Beach had taught me to stop over-thinking and just do!

2. Slave

The most telling aspect in Jaco Beach was the genuine interaction people had with each other.  They weren't slaves to their technology like we are in the United States.  People don't have their phones out in restaurants when it is dinner time and they don't text every single second.  My friends and I found ourselves truly being slaves to the technology.  There's so much to see beyond staring at little box displays every step we take.  It felt great to not touch my phone and truly experience moments I can share with everyone.

3. Creature of Habit

I have a habit of doing the same habits.  People in Jaco Beach get out of bed and don't think in a pragmatic approach.  They are laid back and one minute they are surfing, the next they are spending time with their families.  The work life balance in Jaco Beach really puts in perspective the 9-5 grind.

Sometimes you need to experience situations that scare you.  If you feel fear, it's a good thing.  It means you're alive and on the verge of altering your thinking toward life.  My girlfriend pushed me to do Zip-Lining otherwise I would have never done it.   The trip to Jaco Beach helped me understand where I currently am in my life.  Where I am now, is NOT where I want to be in 3-5 years.

PURA VIDA!

#NowPlaying- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alUhI7WUnh4