Fun

"There are things as satisfying as fun besides fun. Exhilarating and life-changing team effort experiences that are wildly fortifying despite not being 'fun.'"
                                        - Sarah Silverman

We often encounter things at work that aren't "fun" in the typical sense of the word. Working on a spreadsheet for four hours isn't our idea of "fun". But after we've done the work, we feel a sense of satisfaction that, in essence, has the same emotional feeling as fun. So revel in those times. Enjoy that you are a part of something great, and that you are making a difference to your company, even if it doesn't seem fun at the time. Be satisfied with your accomplishment, and celebrate it - even if it wasn't "fun".

The Virtue of a Short Memory

I was watching a little football on Monday night, and one of the Minnesota Vikings players made a mistake, then went right back out and covered in almost exactly the same way (minus the mistake). The announcers said the player had a "short memory" and commended him for not being afraid to make the play because of fear of failure.

So this got me to thinking: One of the big problems in corporate America is that we don't have short memories. We don't forget our mistakes, and we let them affect the fervor with which we approach similar tasks or projects. We fear failure to the point that we'd rather not try, often saying things like, "This will never happen because so-and-so won't approve it" or "This won't work because our technology isn't strong enough to support it."

Another aspect is our "coach". The Vikings player had the confidence to go out and make the same mistake because he knew his coach would have his back. Our supervisors and leadership should foster an environment where trying new things is lauded, not derided.

Let's use our elephant's memory in our corporate workspace to remember what professional athletes never forget: It's okay to make mistakes. Keep trying. Success will come.

Having a Bad Day?

Couple of things to remember when you're having a bad day:

1. Your current record of surviving bad days is 100% - you've got this.
2. When you're on your deathbed, do you think you'll remember the events of today? Will you think about whatever item seemed SO BIG today? Likely not - you'll be thinking about bigger events in your life, like your kids, your legacy, and how people will remember you. 

So try not to get too worked up over what may seem like a big deal and think about how you'll remember it in a day, a week, a month, a year - even a decade. 

You've got this.