We live in a world which requires us to answer difficult questions if we want to achieve something meaningful. During the 1930s, in the height of the great depression, someone looking for work was asked the question: are you ready to sell apples. There is no doubt, if they answered yes... they were halfway to getting their life back.
Adi Kaimowitz
I’m going to make some statements and ask some questions. Whatever your answer, make sure it is a yes.
- The person who can articulate what they have done in previous companies and can get on with their day without needing someone to babysit them, is someone who will be popular in any company.
Are you sure you are getting this message across when looking for work from either clients or a new employer?
- Being creative and finding new ways of getting your product or service out there, is not something you copy from others.
Are you sitting up after dinner thinking about this problem and how you can overcome it, before relaxing on your couch?
- Once you have an idea which you feel you can put together, a few phone calls later, a mind mapping session or two and some emails to a designer; will bring life to your dream and set you on a path towards generating money. A website, company logo, email address and bank account will allow you to start offering your product or service to others.
Do you understand that if you start on Monday, by Friday you can be in business?
- Sometimes being ready to get on with our life, involves telling someone that we’re angry or disappointed with what happened to us. If we avoid doing this, the lack of closure can cause us to never move on to the next chapter. It is unreasonable to expect the opportunity to sit the person down who did us wrong and tell them how we feel.
Are you ready to tell someone else, get it over and done with, so you can become the person you want to be?
- The secret to being happy and productive at work, besides for having enough money to pay your bills, is doing the things you love, in your time off. This means reminding ourselves of the things we enjoyed doing on weekends when we were 14, 15 or 16 and had not a worry in the world.Are you tapping into this joy which you may have put aside because life got too damn busy?
In order to feel energized and inspired, we need to be in contact with people who give happy vibes and make us feel good about ourselves. When was the last time you decided to stop answering the calls or messages of someone who does the exact opposite? Stick with this. You deserve to be happy.
You-as-a-Brand
Sharing personal ideas online is about taking a subject you have an opinion on and telling others why you feel this way. We have woken up to a You-as-a-Brand world and the content we share will be seen by clients and social friends. Our posts should have a good vibe, with a take home message which encourages people to want to interact more positively with the world. Are you embracing this new content creation world? Just being the observer will lead to loneliness.
Just because you are happy in your job, does not mean you should not be planning for the future. The networked person is in contact with more people than just their work colleagues. It means interacting with industry professionals at your level, higher and lower. The process involves taking the time to connect, comment and share ideas on posts. Creating a rapport which is two to five years in the making. The global market is our new neighbourhood. Are you walking the dog and talking to the neighbours?
No matter what time period in history we refer to, people will ask us questions and depending on how we answer, we either face the challenge ahead with certainty and confidence or we crumble at the thought of trying. And so I ask you, are you ready to sell apples?
