Categories
Culture Self

Pride

Finding ForresterIt’s known as one of the seven deadly sins. It can sometimes be synonymous with hubris, a trait leading to many deaths in Greek mythology. Some religions believe pride is the devil’s work.

I think it’s the opposite.

Developing great work

Great works of marketing, literature, and speech often come from pride. Sure, hard work plays a large role. But folks who are known as social media giants, elite athletes, or powerful orators are all proud of themselves and their accomplishments.

Instead of “hey, look at me!”, the proud think, “hey, I’m looking inside and I want this to be awesome!”

Creation

Another way to look at it: pride comes from creation. In the 2000 film “Finding Forrester,” the character of William Forrester claims that he didn’t write his novel for them (critics), but for himself.

This creation needn’t be a physical item. Everyday folks can take pride in their:

  • home, by keeping rooms clean,
  • car or workspace, by doing the same,
  • wardrobe, by taking care of their garments,
  • community, by volunteering time,
  • health, by exercising regularly, or
  • artistic development through music, dance, and expression.

It may be one of the seven deadly sins, but pride provides the one outlet that makes me tick. Why are you proud?

Categories
Apple Books Self

Rebirth

Steve JobsMy sister kindly bought me the Steve Jobs biography for Christmas (thanks Lu!). Naturally, the beginning of the book retells Jobs’s earlier years – specifically, his concentration on Zen Buddhism and the self.

Although I do not consider myself a Zen Buddhist, the end of the calendar year offers unique opportunities to ask self-facing questions. What did I accomplish in 2011? What goals should I set for 2012? How can I become a better me?

Concentrate on a few goals

Chris Brogan uses his “3 words” to drive his rebirth every new year. At HB, we set four broad goals with specific, attainable tasks to complete throughout the year.

I plan to do the same for 2012. My three key developmental areas:

  • Writing and content development. Via JRHcreative and The HB Blog, I plan to write several blog posts a month. Some will serve as video posts.
  • Contributions. I will comment feverishly on marketing blogs and Google+ to stay abreast on industry trends and its fire starters.
  • Think big. My sense of design drives my thinking  – but I want to bring that aesthetic to my strategic development, content development, an ideation process.

One year from now, I plan to share my successes in a similar blog post… and develop three new concentrations for 2013.

What are your plans for next year?