I’m finding my artistic inspiration and entrepreneurial motivation, lately, to be unreliable, and predictably inconvenient. For some reason, while I’m here at “the job” from 6am until 6pm I’m VERY motivated and even anxious to work on LittleLDS or other Tyed Art projects. In fact, my ideas tend to distract me from my work at “the job.” I’ll be sitting there working when all of a sudden I have an idea for an image that would look great on the tyedart.com website, or I’ll suddenly get a strong desire to illustrate one of the LittleLDS pages for CD#4. Of course, I CAN’T work on that stuff while I’m at “the job,” so I do what I’ve always done. I write down the idea in my Brain Vomit book or on my “to do” list, and put it back on the mental shelf to be visited later. The idea tickles my brain for hours. That’s the best way to describe it. It’s not hammering on my mind and giving me a headache. I’m perfectly capable of focusing on my work, but I don’t always WANT to ignore the idea. That’s the very nature of the beast though. It’s not necessarily annoying because it’s a GOOD idea, but because I can’t do anything about it, it does start to become a bit frustrating.
One would think that all this pent up inspiration and frustration would cause me to experience total uninhibited flow by the time I’m able to work on it at home. But, no….not lately. For a while now, when I get home all I want to do is vege-out. I’m in a funk and I need to snap out of it and get back on the horse. I need to give myself a schedule for completion of CD#4. I’ve done it before and I can do it again. It’s weird though, I think, that somewhere between getting out of work, the 30 minute drive home, and arriving in my driveway, I lose all desire to switch back into the driven and motivated President of Tyed Art, Inc. All day long I conceptualized, plan, and psych myself up for a good productive evening just to get home and fizzle out. Weird. Hope this funk doesn’t last long. I think it’s probably time I re-listen to Robert Kiyosaki’s “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” and recharge my business battery. Maybe a little “War of Art” by Stephen Pressfield wouldn’t hurt either. I need to recalibrate.
Fortunately, tomorrow is a virtual Friday since the actual Friday this week will be a day off from “the job” due to Nevada Day. I’m looking forward to a long weekend. I’m actually hoping to really be able to get a lot done on CD#4. If nothing else, I’d like to add more Thanksgiving holiday coloring pictures to my November line up for free coloring pages on LittleLDS.com. It’s a new feature I’ve added in hopes of drawing more people to a “living” and changing website. I learned once in a seminar that people tend to revisit websites when they know it’s going to be different later. I know I fit that description. I’m hoping that rotating new holiday coloring pages on my site and offering them for free that I’ll get a great viewer base and perhaps more talk generated about the website.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Funny how things work out
Ever since we can remember, my two best friends and I, or "The Triangle" as we're known to our families, have dreamed of working together in the professional world. Oak has always been interested in financial fields, Rob has certainly found his niche in the world of computers, and I’ve always gravitated to the visual side of life. Although I’ve been working in the drafting and engineering industries for all my working life, I’ve always wanted to step out on my own creative pathway. Rob has done a few different things but has always had a brilliantly sharp mind which he has, until now (in my estimation anyway), never really been challenged. I’ve always thought of Rob as being more intelligent than I am. He’s quick-witted and very determined when he WANTS to be. He’s been involved in customer service (phones), restaurant management, and even pizza delivery. Oak, as his nickname implies, is steady, sturdy, and well rooted. He’s very practical, very loyal, and very conservative. By way of contrast, I’ve always judged myself to be short-fused, emotionally driven, and passionate about just about everything I do. I’m always either way up or way down. I’m a go-getter, yes, but I’m often only half cocked. For me, this combination usually translates into lots of new beginning projects and few actual accomplishments. Between the three of us, though, we’ve got drive & motivation, longevity & perseverance and of course intelligence & education. What a great combination of traits to begin a business venture! Combine these attributes with a GREAT business idea, and a couple of unbreakable friendships and what have you got? You have the ingredients necessary to realize our life-long dream. If we really wanted to, I think the 3 of us really could quit working for the man…any man. We could become the MEN. We could be partners and support each other like a well balanced tripod.
The closest we ever came to this in the past was when I first returned from Portugal in 1997. Rob had returned from Russia 2 months earlier and was working for a medical supply delivery company. When I got back, he helped me to get a job there too. While we spent the majority of our working hours in separate delivery vehicles, we spent a LOT of time messing around on company phones, sneaking out on joint deliveries, and taking lunches together. If nothing else, we received our paychecks from the same employer. That was good enough at the time. Although short-lived, it was fun while it lasted. Oak, at this time was still in South Africa. Oak and I have also had brushes with “the dream”, as he has used his marketing skills from his years of experience in trade shows to help me with my own trade show booths for LittleLDS. Those are some of the most fun “working” experiences I’ve ever had.
When Oak got back from South Africa, we all fanaticized over the idea of working together…just the three of us, on our OWN business venture, but none of us were ambitious enough at the time to really do anything about it. Instead, we all did what everyone else does. We did what is natural to do in our society. We spent our spare time hanging out together and the other 2/3 of our lives sleeping or working to make someone else rich. I’ve been fighting that ever since. I’ve always hated working FOR someone else. I’ve always done it, however, because that’s just what you do. It’s responsible…especially as a husband and father. I’ve brought the dream up a few times to the guys over the years, but mostly just in passing or in jest. I think over the past 10 years I’ve probably had about a million different hair-brained ideas of how we could all work together on our own, but none of those ideas have really been serious enough to merit any real devotion.
So, independently, the three of us have pursued our respective paths. Oak has used his education to specialize in selling and marketing of insurances, securities and some financial planning. He has recently, through some unforeseen opportunities, discovered an interest and knack in property management. Rob has not only climbed a corporate ladder from a customer service tech to a world-traveling computer programming instructor, but has pushed himself to become multi-certified, and technologically creative. Through necessity in his work, he has taught himself to invent solutions to problems with the computer skills he has acquired.
Busy with our respective lives, the three of us don’t have a whole lot of regular contact with one another. Oak makes fairly regular visits down to Vegas, usually between 2 and 3 times per year. Contact with Rob tends to be more cyclical, and we’ve been in the “out of contact” stage of the cycle for the last several months. I recently called him to see how things were going and as we were catching up, the subject of Tyed Art and LittleLDS came up. After hearing him describe some of the programs that he has designed for himself in his own work, I thought I might probe a bit to find out what types of programming he’s capable of. If I didn’t know Rob, this might have sounded like a job interview, where I’m looking for an independent contractor to work on my project. That’s exactly what it turned out to be. It turns out that Rob knows a ton about the very stuff my program is made to do. Although Charles did a fantastic job designing the LittleLDS original software, there are many things that I’ve wanted to improve and/or change from the very beginning. Charles is a brilliant programmer, but he’s extremely busy, and a bit difficult to work with. He talks over me when I’m trying to give him an idea of what I’m looking for creatively and artistically. He tends to try to talk me out of functionalities that I think would be beneficial for the user, when I think it is in HIS best interest to do so. I may be misreading that part of his personality. Charles has been a great instructor, and friend, but it’s time that I took a bit more control of MY project. I want to be able to meet eye-to-eye with my programmer. I want to have greater creative license and I want to be able to make things happen on a better time table. Rob seems to offer those options better. Charles, not being LDS, also seems to lack a bit of real-world practical knowledge of the LDS community which may be part of the reason he resists many of my modification suggestions. I want my software to be MAC-compatible so I can reach more customers. I want some of the functions to run more smoothly than they do now. I would like to change the overall development process for the development of each new CD so that it’s not so cumbersome and time-consuming. I think Rob will be just the man for the job.
Rob is going to be coming down in the next week or so as a “business trip” so we can work out the details of our new working relationship (if in fact we can do it). I’m VERY excited to finally be able to work with one of my very best friends. Now I’ve just go to work to get Oak involved or develop a new idea that we can all work on together. Shouldn’t really be too tough, right? I mean, I’ve got million ideas rollin’ around up there.
The closest we ever came to this in the past was when I first returned from Portugal in 1997. Rob had returned from Russia 2 months earlier and was working for a medical supply delivery company. When I got back, he helped me to get a job there too. While we spent the majority of our working hours in separate delivery vehicles, we spent a LOT of time messing around on company phones, sneaking out on joint deliveries, and taking lunches together. If nothing else, we received our paychecks from the same employer. That was good enough at the time. Although short-lived, it was fun while it lasted. Oak, at this time was still in South Africa. Oak and I have also had brushes with “the dream”, as he has used his marketing skills from his years of experience in trade shows to help me with my own trade show booths for LittleLDS. Those are some of the most fun “working” experiences I’ve ever had.
When Oak got back from South Africa, we all fanaticized over the idea of working together…just the three of us, on our OWN business venture, but none of us were ambitious enough at the time to really do anything about it. Instead, we all did what everyone else does. We did what is natural to do in our society. We spent our spare time hanging out together and the other 2/3 of our lives sleeping or working to make someone else rich. I’ve been fighting that ever since. I’ve always hated working FOR someone else. I’ve always done it, however, because that’s just what you do. It’s responsible…especially as a husband and father. I’ve brought the dream up a few times to the guys over the years, but mostly just in passing or in jest. I think over the past 10 years I’ve probably had about a million different hair-brained ideas of how we could all work together on our own, but none of those ideas have really been serious enough to merit any real devotion.
So, independently, the three of us have pursued our respective paths. Oak has used his education to specialize in selling and marketing of insurances, securities and some financial planning. He has recently, through some unforeseen opportunities, discovered an interest and knack in property management. Rob has not only climbed a corporate ladder from a customer service tech to a world-traveling computer programming instructor, but has pushed himself to become multi-certified, and technologically creative. Through necessity in his work, he has taught himself to invent solutions to problems with the computer skills he has acquired.
Busy with our respective lives, the three of us don’t have a whole lot of regular contact with one another. Oak makes fairly regular visits down to Vegas, usually between 2 and 3 times per year. Contact with Rob tends to be more cyclical, and we’ve been in the “out of contact” stage of the cycle for the last several months. I recently called him to see how things were going and as we were catching up, the subject of Tyed Art and LittleLDS came up. After hearing him describe some of the programs that he has designed for himself in his own work, I thought I might probe a bit to find out what types of programming he’s capable of. If I didn’t know Rob, this might have sounded like a job interview, where I’m looking for an independent contractor to work on my project. That’s exactly what it turned out to be. It turns out that Rob knows a ton about the very stuff my program is made to do. Although Charles did a fantastic job designing the LittleLDS original software, there are many things that I’ve wanted to improve and/or change from the very beginning. Charles is a brilliant programmer, but he’s extremely busy, and a bit difficult to work with. He talks over me when I’m trying to give him an idea of what I’m looking for creatively and artistically. He tends to try to talk me out of functionalities that I think would be beneficial for the user, when I think it is in HIS best interest to do so. I may be misreading that part of his personality. Charles has been a great instructor, and friend, but it’s time that I took a bit more control of MY project. I want to be able to meet eye-to-eye with my programmer. I want to have greater creative license and I want to be able to make things happen on a better time table. Rob seems to offer those options better. Charles, not being LDS, also seems to lack a bit of real-world practical knowledge of the LDS community which may be part of the reason he resists many of my modification suggestions. I want my software to be MAC-compatible so I can reach more customers. I want some of the functions to run more smoothly than they do now. I would like to change the overall development process for the development of each new CD so that it’s not so cumbersome and time-consuming. I think Rob will be just the man for the job.
Rob is going to be coming down in the next week or so as a “business trip” so we can work out the details of our new working relationship (if in fact we can do it). I’m VERY excited to finally be able to work with one of my very best friends. Now I’ve just go to work to get Oak involved or develop a new idea that we can all work on together. Shouldn’t really be too tough, right? I mean, I’ve got million ideas rollin’ around up there.
Friday, October 13, 2006
The cost of conviction
The dictionary defines CONVICTION as, “an unshakable belief in something without need for proof or evidence.” It is, “A fixed or strong belief” or, “the state of being convinced” It means to be “certain.” The opposite of conviction, then, is to have doubt, or to be uncertain. "To waiver when there is a lack of evidence.” Conviction, in a religious context, is the reason Job continued to worship God despite his incessant mortal test of anguish. Conviction, in a business context, is the reason Walt Disney, Colonel Sanders, and Charles Shultz all succeeded regardless of how many times they heard the word “no.” Conviction is what enables amazing people like my brother to train for, start, and finish a grueling 26.2 mile marathon in less time than any previous race. Conviction is the “what if” killer. It is arch nemesis of resistance in any form. Conviction can cure laziness, bad habits, addiction, and any illness. Conviction wrote the Declaration of Independence. It also built the Egyptian pyramids, the Great Wall of China, and put men on the moon. Conviction can walk on water and even overcome death itself.
I admire those with real conviction. I strive for it myself. But it’s not an easy thing to commandeer. I would dare say that most people strive for conviction in some area or another, but only a few seem to truly hold on to it long enough to realize their deepest aspirations. The rest of us see these individuals, these movie stars, brain surgeons, and rocket scientists as special. Extraordinary. Our reverence for them implies that they are the proverbial Sneeches with stars. We observe them from the sidelines and we wonder if they are in some way different from us. It’s almost like we think they’re made of better stuff than we are. While we’re all made up of the same elements, chemicals, and organs, there is some truth to them being different than we are. They’ve done something that we have not. They’ve tapped into something that we have yet to discover in ourselves.
So why is conviction so difficult to attain? Is it like trying to reach perfection - an attribute no mortal can achieve in this life? No, I don’t think so. I think it’s more like being completely honest. It’s REALLY difficult to do because it means giving up something else. You can have it, but it’ll cost you. It'll cost you enough, that most opt out. So, the question then is….what IS the cost of conviction? I think it depends a great deal on the thing in which you are striving for conviction. I think striving for conviction in something that is inherently false or corrupt is futile. It might be possible to fake for a while, but ultimately, that false or corrupt thing will fail, decay, whither, or otherwise vanish, leaving us obligated to believe in something else. This process will continue until we learn NOT to place our convictions in any false or corrupt thing. That having been said, I belive that true conviction, in order to be absolute, must be in something true, honorable, or intrinsically valuable. These are the types of things that illicit the forces of resistance the most. After all, Conviction and Resistance are, as I said, arch rivals. Here are some examples of different types of conviction;
The Marathon Runner:
My brother Mike amazes me with his constant cravings for physical feats of excellence. He’s always pushing the limits of his own physical strength and endurance. He gives literal meaning to the phrase “going the extra mile.” This is the guy who rode his bicycle from Salt Lake City to Lake Powell with some high school buddies just because he could. He’s run 3 of these 26+ mile marathons now, and if I were a betting man, I’d wager this most recent one will NOT be his last. He’s the realistic version of a cross between the Energizer Bunny and Forrest Gump. In describing this grueling act of self imposed terrainial torture (the way I see it, anyway), he says, “I cannot say that I ever got to that "sleep" point where you're not thinking of running, but of other things, meditating or dreaming of a hot tub or whatever. It never happened. I wished it had because focusing on your pain filled legs and the miles of pavement before you can be grueling. I looked around at the red rock once in awhile, watched those passing me (there was a lot of that!), and more or less just kept thinking to myself to keep going.” Now those are the words of someone with real conviction. Though physically hurting, hot, tired, and perhaps even mentally stressed, the runner runs on. Why? Because of his conviction. He knows this is a worth while course of action. He knows he’ll be better for having done it. He knows the value of sacrifice… that by denying himself the relief of immediate physical comfort will, at the end, earn him a lifetime of respect, experience, and precedence of willpower. He’ll always be able to say to himself, “Hey, if I can run a 26.2 mile marathon…3 times, then I can certainly get through this” regardless of whatever this may be. He makes me and everyone around him proud.
The Leader:
Whether they are a Bishop of a Singles Ward, the CEO of a company or the President of the United States of America, all leaders must have a strong conviction of some kind. Whether it’s an elected, nominated, appointed or assumed position, leadership demands conviction. For the leader, conviction allows bold speeches, confident commands & directions, and an authoritative appearance. For the followers, a leader’s conviction establishes trust, assurance, and a sense of safety and direction. A leader without conviction is easily overthrown because they have no firm footing. Rather than establishing a standard to which all can adhere and confide, they sway to amidst diverse opinions, allowing division and abandonment.
The Investor:
Everyone knows the theory behind basic investing…that in order to make money in this game, one must buy low and sell high. Everyone KNOWS this is the formula. So why doesn’t everyone APPLY this knowledge? Conviction is the answer. When most people are making a mad dash to grab a piece of that HOT stock that everyone is talking about, the investor is typically the one who is selling it. He knows that HIS fortunes were made when he purchased it when it was still under valued. The investor is a different animal. An investor - at least a successful investor - has to have a different type of conviction. He knows what’s coming because he keeps his ear to the ground and does his homework. He does this so that he CAN have a conviction in his investment. He’s got to know the worth of whatever it is he’s investing in. He’s got to believe in it. He’s got to be convinced deep down that the venture he’s pursuing is worth MORE than the amount he’s investing in it. To buy low, means to ignore what’s popular. It means to NOT let it bother you that NO one else is leaping at the chance to buy that stock, or that commodity at bottom basement prices. It means KNOWING, regardless of popular belief that the object in the center of your investing cross hairs is under-valued and will eventually become the object everyone wishes they would have purchased “way back when it was a steal.” He knows to buy the rumor and sell the news. The conviction of the real investor is also what keeps him riding the fierce bucks of the wild bull market through its misleading dips and nervous corrections. His confidence in his choice of investments allows him to place his bet on the table and then turn his back to the market and ride out the turbulence that comes with every bull performance. He doesn’t allow emotion to creep in and talk him out of the decision he has already made. This is one type of conviction I strive for.
I’m a beginner in the precious metals market. First started watching the market shortly after 911 and invested small amounts in 2002. Over all, both gold and silver have appreciated, but there have been MANY corrections along the way. Most have been very slight, but some have been real testers. The more I learn about the world’s economy and about the history of these metals, however, the less ANY of these corrections affect my conviction in their values. I’ve learned what conditions make the metals rise and fall. I’ve learned about the rule of supply and demand as they pertain to this market. I’ve learn about the connections between our national and world economics and the precious metals. All that I have learned lead me to my conviction in their intrinsic values. This knowledge has translated into my conviction. The Bull won’t buck me off.
I admire those with real conviction. I strive for it myself. But it’s not an easy thing to commandeer. I would dare say that most people strive for conviction in some area or another, but only a few seem to truly hold on to it long enough to realize their deepest aspirations. The rest of us see these individuals, these movie stars, brain surgeons, and rocket scientists as special. Extraordinary. Our reverence for them implies that they are the proverbial Sneeches with stars. We observe them from the sidelines and we wonder if they are in some way different from us. It’s almost like we think they’re made of better stuff than we are. While we’re all made up of the same elements, chemicals, and organs, there is some truth to them being different than we are. They’ve done something that we have not. They’ve tapped into something that we have yet to discover in ourselves.
So why is conviction so difficult to attain? Is it like trying to reach perfection - an attribute no mortal can achieve in this life? No, I don’t think so. I think it’s more like being completely honest. It’s REALLY difficult to do because it means giving up something else. You can have it, but it’ll cost you. It'll cost you enough, that most opt out. So, the question then is….what IS the cost of conviction? I think it depends a great deal on the thing in which you are striving for conviction. I think striving for conviction in something that is inherently false or corrupt is futile. It might be possible to fake for a while, but ultimately, that false or corrupt thing will fail, decay, whither, or otherwise vanish, leaving us obligated to believe in something else. This process will continue until we learn NOT to place our convictions in any false or corrupt thing. That having been said, I belive that true conviction, in order to be absolute, must be in something true, honorable, or intrinsically valuable. These are the types of things that illicit the forces of resistance the most. After all, Conviction and Resistance are, as I said, arch rivals. Here are some examples of different types of conviction;
The Marathon Runner:
My brother Mike amazes me with his constant cravings for physical feats of excellence. He’s always pushing the limits of his own physical strength and endurance. He gives literal meaning to the phrase “going the extra mile.” This is the guy who rode his bicycle from Salt Lake City to Lake Powell with some high school buddies just because he could. He’s run 3 of these 26+ mile marathons now, and if I were a betting man, I’d wager this most recent one will NOT be his last. He’s the realistic version of a cross between the Energizer Bunny and Forrest Gump. In describing this grueling act of self imposed terrainial torture (the way I see it, anyway), he says, “I cannot say that I ever got to that "sleep" point where you're not thinking of running, but of other things, meditating or dreaming of a hot tub or whatever. It never happened. I wished it had because focusing on your pain filled legs and the miles of pavement before you can be grueling. I looked around at the red rock once in awhile, watched those passing me (there was a lot of that!), and more or less just kept thinking to myself to keep going.” Now those are the words of someone with real conviction. Though physically hurting, hot, tired, and perhaps even mentally stressed, the runner runs on. Why? Because of his conviction. He knows this is a worth while course of action. He knows he’ll be better for having done it. He knows the value of sacrifice… that by denying himself the relief of immediate physical comfort will, at the end, earn him a lifetime of respect, experience, and precedence of willpower. He’ll always be able to say to himself, “Hey, if I can run a 26.2 mile marathon…3 times, then I can certainly get through this” regardless of whatever this may be. He makes me and everyone around him proud.
The Leader:
Whether they are a Bishop of a Singles Ward, the CEO of a company or the President of the United States of America, all leaders must have a strong conviction of some kind. Whether it’s an elected, nominated, appointed or assumed position, leadership demands conviction. For the leader, conviction allows bold speeches, confident commands & directions, and an authoritative appearance. For the followers, a leader’s conviction establishes trust, assurance, and a sense of safety and direction. A leader without conviction is easily overthrown because they have no firm footing. Rather than establishing a standard to which all can adhere and confide, they sway to amidst diverse opinions, allowing division and abandonment.
The Investor:
Everyone knows the theory behind basic investing…that in order to make money in this game, one must buy low and sell high. Everyone KNOWS this is the formula. So why doesn’t everyone APPLY this knowledge? Conviction is the answer. When most people are making a mad dash to grab a piece of that HOT stock that everyone is talking about, the investor is typically the one who is selling it. He knows that HIS fortunes were made when he purchased it when it was still under valued. The investor is a different animal. An investor - at least a successful investor - has to have a different type of conviction. He knows what’s coming because he keeps his ear to the ground and does his homework. He does this so that he CAN have a conviction in his investment. He’s got to know the worth of whatever it is he’s investing in. He’s got to believe in it. He’s got to be convinced deep down that the venture he’s pursuing is worth MORE than the amount he’s investing in it. To buy low, means to ignore what’s popular. It means to NOT let it bother you that NO one else is leaping at the chance to buy that stock, or that commodity at bottom basement prices. It means KNOWING, regardless of popular belief that the object in the center of your investing cross hairs is under-valued and will eventually become the object everyone wishes they would have purchased “way back when it was a steal.” He knows to buy the rumor and sell the news. The conviction of the real investor is also what keeps him riding the fierce bucks of the wild bull market through its misleading dips and nervous corrections. His confidence in his choice of investments allows him to place his bet on the table and then turn his back to the market and ride out the turbulence that comes with every bull performance. He doesn’t allow emotion to creep in and talk him out of the decision he has already made. This is one type of conviction I strive for.
I’m a beginner in the precious metals market. First started watching the market shortly after 911 and invested small amounts in 2002. Over all, both gold and silver have appreciated, but there have been MANY corrections along the way. Most have been very slight, but some have been real testers. The more I learn about the world’s economy and about the history of these metals, however, the less ANY of these corrections affect my conviction in their values. I’ve learned what conditions make the metals rise and fall. I’ve learned about the rule of supply and demand as they pertain to this market. I’ve learn about the connections between our national and world economics and the precious metals. All that I have learned lead me to my conviction in their intrinsic values. This knowledge has translated into my conviction. The Bull won’t buck me off.
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