People get work for three reasons or, at least, two out of three reasons: their work is good; they’re easy to get along with; and they deliver the work on time. – Neil Gaiman, “Make Good Art”
Work Life
Do the Next Thing
I didn’t have a career. I just did the next thing on the list. – Neil Gaiman, “Make Good Art”
Unless you absolutely, positively know what you’re meant to do at the age of five, you’ll find yourself on a meandering course. You may have a general sense of direction, but you probably won’t be sure of the way to get to your final destination. You’ll think about things like internships and entry-level positions, some of which will get you closer to where you’re trying to get and some of which will lead to dead-ends and course corrections.
Do You Work in Your Pajamas?
Now that I work from home, an almost inevitable question arises: do I laze around in my pajamas all day? The answer is a resounding “no.” While I sometimes do get distracted by work mid-breakfast and end up working while still ensconced in pajamas (or workout clothes if the morning included a run and workout), my normal routine is to dress as though I’m heading into an actual office with a mostly casual dress code.
How to Launch Yourself into the Unknown
Going from the known to the unknown is frightening. It’s to walk to the very edge of the cliff face and peer over the edge. You can feel the ground beneath your feet, and it rises toward you, sure and strong. You also can feel the wind currents swirling in front of you and know you’re supposed to step into them. You’re supposed to set yourself free.
My Blogging Secret: A Well-Stocked Pantry
When it comes to publishing content regularly and consistently on this site, I have a secret: I have a stockpile of content. I probably have enough content – if I were to work through all the drafts sitting in my folder – to last two months. I know this, but I don’t stop writing. I don’t quit stocking the pantry. I keep it full.
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From There to Here: Cheerfulness
If you decide to make something, no matter how big or small, you will encounter challenges. You will realize you don’t know enough. You will find you don’t have the time to learn a new technique, read books, talk with people, design a new portfolio, or take an internship. If you still decide to make that something despite all that, you will have a bumpy road. You will wonder why you ever started down the path. You will doubt yourself, and you will become discouraged.