Work-Life Balance Concept: The Power of Small Tasks

Writer’s block… it’s a dreaded phenomenon, especially to those whose focus is in academia where mastery in creating written content is a compulsory mandate to the job. So it is of extreme importance, especially where deadlines are involved, to be capable of producing written content in an adequate amount of time. (Editorial comment: I have a few papers due in the upcoming weeks, so this topic is more of a reminder to me than anything!)

The easiest time to be susceptible to writer’s block is at the very beginning, when the finish line is as far away as it can be. This is where the task seems at its most daunting, much like a poorly thought out New Year’s Resolution.

The second habit from Dr. Stephen Covey’s book, 7 Habits for Highly Effective People, comes to mind at times like these – and that is to begin with the end in mind. Without a firm understanding of necessary objectives or a solid idea for what the completed project will look like, it can be very difficult to know whether or not a person has made significant headway on a project.

Project outlines grow to be more necessary as the size and scope of the project increases. Without a starting point, it can be difficult to make progress, but an outline can provide keywords that create the necessary spark for productivity. That spark is often capable of carrying a person through a 4-hour production binge on a given topic, which is more than lovely.

Of course, many of us do not have this much time available in the real world. What then? If the project is outlined well enough, then even a 30-minute gap can be enough to make significant headway in the overall scheme of a project. Even if the topic that is covered in that time contributes only 4% of the project, that is a 4% that you’ll be glad you’ve finished when crunch time comes. (And it is a 4% that will be of higher quality than stress-time 4% will be.)

This isn’t going to work for everyone, as every person operates differently. But these steps are sure to help, whether help is needed in writing a 10 page paper, installing a CRM system at work, or planning a week-long vacation. Because if you don’t know what a satisfactory result will be in a topic, then how will you ever know if you got there when it’s over?

Climbing Mount Everest: One Final Push

This blog post is intended to be more of a personal narrative combining the experience of semesters past with the task at hand. The structure of the environment is the same, but the material is definitely different, and that’s just part of what makes this final push the toughest one.

This spring, I decided I’d register for a tough set of classes, and why not? I want to get the most out of my 3 semester at Baylor from a learning perspective, and I had goals of simultaneously achieving eligibility to sit for the CPA exam, which requires that a candidate completes 150 collegiate hours, 30 of which are state-approved accounting classes.

But some things just don’t work out as planned. I’ve recently found out that some of the accounting hours I received in my undergraduate (and graduate) curriculum do not count towards the aforementioned 30 hours of accountancy classes.

Additionally, it’s almost November, which is the toughest stretch of learning prior to finals. I know this from experiencing November last year and April of this year – the last month is a heavy stretch. And frankly, the course load that I signed up for has proven to be an even bigger time commitment than I expected.

On top of this, there’s the part about searching for work. It took more time than I’d planned for – the online searches, the resume touchups, the cover letter preparations, the mock interviews, and the actual interviews – but it’s an obligation, because starting a career what we came to Baylor for in the first place.

So, from a time standpoint, I’ve gotten stuck between going out on a positive note (GPA-wise) and seeking out my next career path. It’s a delicate balance, because I want to finish my graduate education strong, but I would like to be able to put food on the table in January. It feels like I’m most of the way up Mount Everest… but the climb to the summit is the hardest part.

Yet, that’s exactly how personal growth occurs. You work towards something and ultimately achieve things you didn’t think possible – because they were impossible until you achieved other landmarks along the way. The trials and tribulations can be physically, mentally, or emotionally painful, but the end is almost always worth the trouble of the struggle.

The only thing I know is what will happen if I decide to stay in bed and ignore my responsibilities tomorrow: I’ll fail at both my career search and my studies. So, despite not knowing what the future holds, I’m going to continue forward, keeping up the faith that things will fall into place because I’m at Baylor for a reason.

Can Livestrong Still Live Strong without Lance Armstrong?

For those who are unfamiliar with the story of Lance Armstrong, here’s a quick summary. Lance Armstrong is a retired cyclist, whose greatest career accomplishment included winning the Tour de France, cycling’s most prestigious championship, in seven consecutive years (from 1999-2005). No previous competitor had won more than 5.

Mr. Armstrong was recently required to vacate those championships due to violations relating to blood doping. My thoughts on this scandal do not relate to whether or not Mr. Armstrong actively engaged in blood doping during his championship endeavors (though a comprehensive timeline of literature on the subject can be found here). Rather, my focus is on the charitable foundation that Armstrong helped create, the Livestrong Foundation.

The Livestrong Foundation was founded by Armstrong, a cancer survivor, in 1997, and its purpose is to provide support for people affected by cancer. Mr. Armstrong served as chairman of the board until October 17, 2012, when he stepped down because of the previously mentioned cheating allegations.

The Livestrong Foundation and Lance Armstrong will forever be linked, despite any distancing efforts that come from the organization. But numerous people have been helped by the organization, thanks to the efforts of a man who is widely assumed to have cheated in his sport of competition.

Should the organization continue to be able to collect funding for cancer awareness and cancer support? While I believe it should, there are many others who believe that it should not. These people intended to give money to back the efforts of the foundation’s creator, Lance Armstrong, rather than the organization, and it’s their right to do so. Yet, it’s also important to understand that Armstrong alone would have been incapable of providing the benefits that the organization did without help.

And what does this mean for Lance Armstrong’s legacy 20 and 30 years from now? Let’s hypothesize that things progress down their current path and Lance Armstrong completely falls from public grace. Yet, his investment into the creation of the non-profit Livestrong is much greater than what many athletes choose to do with their earnings. Does the positive effect on the lives that he helped touch outweigh the negative effects of his cheating in a sporting competition? There are not yet any metrics that can measure this impact.

The difficult question in the minds of potential donors everywhere is this: what truly is the right thing to do in this situation?

Entrepreneurial Finance: The Balance of Finances and Changing Someone’s Life

From time to time, the average MBA student spends a large amount of time getting highly engrossed in one class getting prepared for the next week’s sessions. For me, that has happened with Entrepreneurial Finance.

Entrepreneurial Finance covers the work that goes into a starting one’s own business and how to best plan for the obstacles that lay in one’s path. The only certainty in this is that there will be obstacles, but what those are will change from company to company and target industry to target industry.

Ross Perot once stated that, “Most people give up just when they’re about to achieve success. They quit on the one yard line. They give up at the last minute of the game one foot from a winning touchdown.” This is a great motivational quote, to be sure. However, with so many incidences that life can deal, it is extremely difficult to say what obstacles one could have worked through.

The Entrepreneurial Finance class here at Baylor has the potential to show students the world of venture capitalism (as taking the course is a pre-requisite for the opportunity to work for a venture capital company based in Austin, TX for 3 credit hours).

In entrepreneurship, statistics show that a venture is more likely to fail than it is to succeed. Successful venture capital companies know this, and are therefore extremely selective in providing capital to startup companies.

So what about the other hopefuls whose ideas didn’t make the cut? So many things have the potential to get between an entrepreneur and the new life that success in a venture can mean.

It’s safe to say that emotion can get in the way when it comes to important business decisions such as these. Additionally, that’s not to say that the idea that gets rejected doesn’t have any chance of being a big hit. It just means that the venture capital company who is analyzing the opportunity thinks that the venture is likely not going to make the return on investment that would justify initial funding.

It takes a special kind of person to be able to say no to someone’s prized idea. If you’re not this kind of person, but have interest in entering the world of capital, however, never fear. Take this quote from renowned statistician W. Edwards Deming: “In God we Trust, all others bring data.” While a bit cold, it sums up the way a venture capitalist must think – a great VC is generous in providing energy, time, and analysis, but is hesitant to provide funding.

If there is one thing that Entrepreneurial Finance has taught me during my time here, it’s this: Listen equally to the entrepreneur and the numbers. I’m just glad I got to experience this side of things here at Baylor – the perspective is fantastic.

The Two-Circumstance Rule

There are just over 7 billion people that inhabit this planet today, and each person is a unique blend of genetics and cultural upbringing. And people often bond with other people who share characteristics in some form or fashion, whether it is an interest, a hobby, or a life event. Given the supply of people, finding someone that shares one of these things is certainly less of a challenge than it was 50, 20, or even 10 years ago.

However, there come some days or times when you may find yourself at odds with another individual. Some common instances of this include road rage, on a project team at work (usually with a fast-approaching deadline), or the security line at the airport. In most of these scenarios, there is a high-stress environment where tensions are higher than in “equilibrium settings.”

At the moment when tension is at its highest, it can be easy to completely lose control of yourself and act in a way that is not in accordance with your normal self. This reaction can range from something as harmless as having a slight frown to something as potentially dangerous as getting involved in a high-speed car chase. But it is at those crucial moments when you likely need a personal reset button, or more specifically, a way to take oneself out of the emotions of the situation itself and think at a higher level.

I’m an analytical person, so I understand that there is no one-size-fits-all suggestion for navigating these potentially troubling scenarios. However, one thing that works for me is the “Two-Circumstance Rule.” This rule is one that says that, no matter how unreasonable another person appears to be acting in a given environment, that there are just two circumstances that could either explain a person’s actions in any given setting.

An example of this happened to me in a recent trip to the airport. In driving to the airport to park my car, I closely witnessed someone driving erratically trying to find the shortest line in order to drive through. He seemed to be driving with reckless abandon, and I found myself wondering, “Just what could be so important that this person would be acting this way? I later found out in the security line that the same gentleman had frantically spoken with TSA agents in an effort to make his flight. He was making a desperate attempt to get on a plane to see an ailing family member whose life expectancy was rapidly decreasing.

In this case, it only took one circumstance for me to completely change my way of thinking over this incident. Yet, so many times, we as people get so caught up in the busyness of our day-to-day lives that we fail to notice another person’s actions in an environment for what they often are: a cry for help. It is of incredible importance that we stop for a moment and attempt to understand another person’s actions. While you may not end up agreeing with the actions of that person, you can ultimately prevent your reactions from permanently damaging your existing relationships, either with that person or from other people in the area.

There’s a reason that my mom always told me to stop and count to 10 in situations like these: clarity. Patience is rarely fun, but it’s a virtue for a reason.

The Vice-Presidential Debate… and It’s True Meaning for America

                Let me first say that I’m not a big fan of talking politics. It leads to too many rough, friendship-jeopardizing conversations over trivial matters even amongst the most level-headed of people. However, there are some overriding implications of this political season that should be inspected – not for the good of your vote, but for understanding of the true state of our nation.

The Vice-Presidential debate that occurred a few weeks ago was of moderate interest to Americans. About 51 million Americans tuned in to watch the VP debate, which was about 27% less than the previous week’s Presidential debate (http://news.yahoo.com/biden-ryan-debate-draws-fewer-viewers-obama-romney-202615204.html). The Vice Presidential race is one that is least cared about among the political debates, as most of the attention is paid to the President during the political term. Yet one-sixth of the US population tuned in for one reason or another, so there must be something entertaining or otherwise that draws people to their television sets.

Political strategists make a large sum of money advising candidates to act and speak in a manner that is agreeable to the American public – or at least target voters. So, in putting the content of the rhetoric aside, we can get an idea of what is acceptable to the public from this debate.

The thing that struck me as most appalling was the general rudeness that developed over the course of the debate. It’s disturbing that the debates are set up in such a fashion that candidates have to verbally joust so viciously in order to get their points across. This reflects our society in that so heavily emphasizes the scarcity model of resources – or more specifically, “I’m going to get mine before someone else does.”

Additionally, this debate is alarming in that there was more “I admit, he’s wrong!!!” than can be seen in any other arena besides politics. The fact that the American public is so strongly drawn to this type of forum does not reflect well on our society. If people are attracted to things similar to people’s nature (and I believe that they are), then this means that the public often subscribes to this destructive political method, rather than a negotiating, solutions-focused method that would be more productive for society.

Finally, it’s more than disturbing that the candidates go and shake hands afterward as though they’re old friends. It all appears to be very fake. And using my previous logic that people are often drawn to things that have a similar nature to themselves, it means that the American public appreciates this two-faced behavior.

The democratic system is likely better than that which can be found in other parts of the world. However, it is incredibly important to notice what the Vice Presidential debate says about America as a general whole – and the message isn’t a good one.

More Sports…

“Effort only fully releases its reward after a person refuses to quit. – Napoleon Hill”

Last night, I got the time to check on the box score of a playoff baseball game. The St. Louis Cardinals played the Washington Nationals in a game that broke quite a few playoff records. I will leave this article to summarize most of the facts of the game. However, I intend to elaborate on one specific record that epitomizes the tenacity that great teams display.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=321012120

• No team in a winner-take-all game had come from farther behind than the Cardinals did in this contest.

It happens all too often in sports where a person or a team gives up when victory is within a moment’s grasp. That’s what makes what the Cardinals did so noteworthy. They faced certain defeat squarely in the eyes and collectively said “we won’t back down.”

In this life, we will be constantly challenged to quit the things that are most important to us. A task at work, a challenging co-worker, or even a spat with a loved one – all of them can ultimately lead to a person giving up on something that is truly important in the long run. Too many people have this happen when the light at the end of the tunnel is on the way.

For those of you who are going through one of life’s trials and you just don’t think you have the strength to keep going, start first by standing up. Stand. The only surety in the situation is what will happen if you give up – you won’t get what you’re working for. But if you summon the strength to weather the storm, then everything becomes a possibility, a potential outcome.

“80% of success comes from just showing up.” ~ Woody Allen

Kobe Bryant vs. Smush Parker: Does Character Matter?

As I seek to complete a Baylor MBA, I’m working on increasing my professional competence as well as my character. On occasion, I’ll come across a news article on the topic that makes me want to get a better understanding of the situation. The world of sports provided this example most recently:

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/smush-parker-fires-back-kobe-bryant-worst-slam-205745231–nba.html

(Now, full disclosure: this is a sports-related article and blog post…)

From time to time, a transcendent professional athlete appears who achieves greatness in his field and exhibits a great deal of professional character. Sadly, these examples are quite rare, for those who have great character seem to lack the talent level to achieve superstardom, and the overly talented usually often lack the “respect gene” in regards to others. I would argue that Kobe Bryant of the NBA falls into the latter category.

Over the course of his professional career, Kobe Bryant has garnered headlines for actions that have occurred both on and off the basketball court. He has provided his services to more championship teams than any currently active player, which is a grand accomplishment. However, he has had character issues which, in my estimation, prevent him from being a worthwhile role model.

The above article looks into a “war of words” between a player on a past team and Mr. Bryant. While every person is entitled to their own opinion on right and wrong, Mr. Parker makes a distinction that isn’t usually made of professional athletes.

“You can’t knock the man’s legacy, you can’t knock what he’s done in basketball. His work ethic is tremendous. There’s not an ounce of hate in my blood whatsoever. The guy can play basketball — you’ve seen that throughout his career.

“What I don’t like about him is the man that he is. His personality. How he treats people. I don’t like that side of Kobe Bryant.”

This brings up the halo effect that is so prevalent in American society today in regards to our professional athletes.  American culture seems to believe that because a person achieves a certain level of success in the public eye, that person is equally as great in every area of life. This article is one of multiple articles that show Mr. Bryant to be less than respectful. However, a frustratingly high number of the commenters in the yahoo article write off the notion of character simply because of Mr. Parker’s lower level of perceived skill.

Too many people in our culture today are lenient on behaviors where discipline is required. As a result, there are a diminishing number of true role models in popular culture today, and this trend doesn’t appear to be reversing any time soon.

Working the Job Fair…

Grad school is not meant to be an end destination. Rather, it is meant to be stepping stone to greater heights and towards one’s true calling. One of the events that is a catalyst to those greater heights occurred on Thursday and Friday, September 27-28, 2012, where I was in Indianapolis attending one of the biggest job fairs that the country has to offer, sponsored and run by the National Black MBA Association.

For a select few individuals, working the job fair is an art form. Fortunately, I was able to steal some tips!

First, know the city. A wise plan of action includes travel time and planned navigation, which many people tend to neglect. At a job fair, interviews get secured very quickly, so there is very little time to spare. Fortunately, Indianapolis’ downtown area is very well designed, so it is very easy to make your way from point A to point B.

Knowledge of the venue is extremely important as well. Some companies simply have more interest than others, and the experienced people understand that these companies will have long lines at almost any time of the day. Other companies put a big focus into this event and bring a large number of HR staff to prep for the event. Experience is huge here, as it can be difficult to predict which company will bring more people to the fair site. Wise job seekers take the time to map out companies of interest ahead of time, so as to be in control when the madness begins.

Finally, know yourself. It’s extremely important to have enough resumes on hand for interviews and online applications, which are increasingly being used. It’s important to know what positions one is qualified for and what companies are the leaders in one’s point of focus.

Without a proper game plan, it’s easy to get lost in all the distractions that an event like this has to offer. Remember the end goal: to get a position in an area that best suits you. Preparation is key!

I CAN Stand the Rain.

It has been a hectic last few weeks, thus the lack of blog posts. I’ll be catching you up over the next few days on what’s been going on, including the job fair in Indianapolis and the classes that have followed. But this Sunday morning, in studying for a test, I heard a gentle rainfall and went outside to check it out. This led to an inspirational writing moment for me, so here goes.

Sometimes, I get overwhelmed by my obligations. In response, I get caught up in busyness in attempting to catch up. There are likely very many people who have had issue with this as well. This cycle will repeat itself for a time. However, people have the ability to adapt to their surroundings, if they are subjected to the environment for long enough. We learn from our frustrations, our mistakes, and our failures, albeit slower than we would like.

However, this growth often doesn’t have the time to occur without a moment for reflection, for the metabolism of change. From time to time, I think about the scenarios of a period of time and how to improve from them when applicable. But the time that it takes to think about those things can take away from present needs. Sometimes, like an NBA basketball game, a team needs to take a timeout.

For me that moment occurred with the sound of rainfall. I got to put my mind on hold and just watch the rainfall and listen to the peaceful soundtrack that only God and nature can provide. This rain acts as a metaphorical cleaning of the slate, and a pause button that this life often doesn’t allow.

This only shows the need for every person to have something that they can turn to in order to get a momentary “mental reset” from the stresses of everyday life. How each person best does that can only be discovered by that person; the answers lay within. But, if your “mental reset” takes too much time, focus, thought, and effort and you need a “mental reset” from your “mental reset”, then you might just need to find a different one. For now, I’m just going to stop and listen to the rain.