Blog
Thoughts and things I care to sharelinks for 2007-10-10
- Looks like the latest patches for IE are out – get ’em while they’re hot!
- Speed, ’nuff said.
- So. Jaiku has been absorbed by that giant web sponge aka Google. Hmm. I need to think about this one.
How opinions of others shape our self-image
Did you ever stop and think how the opinions of people around you impact your self-image?
While I hope that you’re not self conscious about such things, I do ask how the opinions of your friends or family influence the perception you have of yourself? How do your co-workers or bosses perceptions affect your belief in you?
Often I’ve wondered how much the opinions of our peers impact us, and do we benefit from their views or are they detrimental to our self image? Constructive feedback from individuals is an important tool for each of us to use in continuing to improve ourselves. However, too much information from too small a group can be counter-productive to self improvement.
As an example, I used to detest other people’s criticisms. I still don’t like it, but have learned to listen for the lessons that help me grow as an individual. Sometimes they’re hard to find, occasionally layered under unintentional (even some intentional!) barbs or slights.
There are truths to everything, but learning to find what is valuable and what isn’t can be something of an art form. So how about you? Have you turned personal critiques into tools for improvement? What things have you learned that you would add to make people’s opinions more valuable to you?
Photo credit: Pulpolux!!!
links for 2007-10-06
- These are some of the posts I love. Where a blogger has definite ideas and can simply put them “out there” for others to digest. Good post Chris!
Entertaining month
I’d been kinda busy in September, but not entirely and it really was affecting my posting here on the blog. My search for clients and reliable contract work was disrupting my efforts on this blog (and others) to the extent that all thoughts simply dried up.
Well, Friday of this week was a great day for me. A lot of my worries were laid to rest, and I ran across a great contract opportunity here in Minneapolis. Since I’m unsure of their policies about blogging and whatnot, I’ll not be talking about the client or their business. In any event, writing about business for me is boring since I find the topics of social media & networking, and personal branding much more interesting. However, I’m excited by the direction they’re taking technology-wise and will be on-site most of every week, right on through ’till spring.
So now that that part of life is settling down a bit, I’m already getting back the ability to write without loosing my ideas and not freezing up on the keyboard. It’s been a tough few weeks, but I’m game for the next stage.
Happiness LXII
Wishing your way out of a situation is not going to make it happen. Use your strengths to solve the problem.
October Header Graphic
Hey there! This month’s header pic was snapped just over a week ago in Turtle Lake, WI out on Skinaway Lake. Loved the early color of the trees on the other side and I thought it’d make a great shot.
Move completed
So we’re settled in. I always forget how much work it really is to move a person’s stuff from one place to another. I’m often reminded "never say never again", because I want to say "NEVER" right now. Oh well.
We finished late last night and I didn’t have much time to write yesterday or today, so I’m going to be working at it tonight. Thank goodness Comcast was here today and got service set up – decent 6Mb service again! Thanks everyone, I’ll be on Twitter tonight and working on some writing – back at me comfy desk too!
Moving weekend
Amy and I are completing our move this weekend, so I probably won’t be posting much today and tomorrow. Of course this has to happen just when I am getting through my bloggers block. Hope it doesn’t boomerang around and meet me on Monday! 😀
Catch you on the flip side folks – have a great weekend!
links for 2007-09-29
- Internet TV for Media Center – cool stuff
Inventing your brand
A couple of questions for you.
- Has your career reached a plateau, but you believe you have more to offer?
- Have you gotten into a repetitive cycle in your career that you think it’s impossible to break out of?
- Are you just starting out in the workforce and are uncertain how to present yourself?
- Would you like to start down a path to help change all that?
Up until now you may only have thought about your reputation. Taking pride in the work you’ve done, and the ideals you follow. These are important things and core components to help you build your personal brand.
What is Personal Brand?
So you’ve heard about this "personal branding" thing while reading news and the blogs you follow. Obviously, it’s an important component to gen X or Y crowd, but how does it affect you? As much as you want it to! You are a brand, not unlike your favorite soft drink, automobile manufacturer, or candy bar. You have the same potential to create interest and buzz around yourself and what you can do.
Reputation 2.0
I like to call personal branding "reputation 2.0". We all know what our reputation is. Why not bring some social media aspects to the table and formulate a strategy? Personal branding is about reaching out to the community or industry that you are a part of. Interacting with it, and making sure that people know where and how to reach you. This simply leverages your current abilities and makes you more visible to others in your field.
Not an Ego Trip
Personal branding is not about building a "look at me" page. Rather, it is about creating a brand that is recognized for what you are. To leverage your strengths, whether that is technical, people-oriented, or whatever. Building your brand is meant to bring you further into your industry as an authority or expert in an area. It’s meant to help you reach the next level, and grow in your life, not just your career.
2nd Job
One thing to understand, as well, is the amount of work involved in creating your brand is the time commitment. You need to become your own marketer, writer, idea person, and coach. It requires that you reach out to your community and add value. Help people, talk about things that are important or relevant in your industry, come up with innovative ideas. Become a person that people look forward to interacting with. Be the go-to person that makes things happen.
Rewards
There are numerous rewards for this, from additional opportunities in your career, to a new discovery of yourself. Building your personal brand also allows you to dig into your psyche and rediscover lost ideas and dreams that you may have set aside years ago. Your brand is about more than your career, it’s about becoming the best you that you can be.
There is a growing number resources online to help you find ways to build your brand. Many of them are tried and true methods that you can get started on without spending much (if anything). Also, I invite you to contact me directly if you have questions, I’d love to help answer whatever I can on the topic. My email is found in the sidebar under "Contact Me", or leave a comment below!
Photo credit: danes96
@MAC_Arms Pay taxes when you make your money, pay taxes when you spend your money, pay taxes when you successfully invest your money, pay taxes when you save enough taxed money to afford a house, pay taxes to live in your house, pay taxes when you sell the house that you paid taxes on to
Yup, taxes are criminal and we need serious reforms. I've always said that if you want to see a tax revolt, make withholdings illegal and have Americans write a tax check every payday. They'll revolt for sure. You don't miss what you never had.
I think it’s safe to say that @GovEvers should stop blocking audits in Wisconsin and open the books…
“Only AMERICAN citizens should vote.”
Sen. @berniemoreno says voter ID and proof of citizenship are simply common sense.
“We’re talking about a very low threshold — identify who you are and prove you’re a U.S. citizen when you register to vote. I think we’re getting closer to
Wrong. Democrats are solely responsible for hours-long airport lines.
They voted to defund TSA three times and won’t even entertain a conversation about reopening it. Why?
They’re using it as leverage to stop enforcing immigration laws.