Save the link. The video will take 45 minutes of your time, guaranteed to be one of the best investments – literally and figuratively – you’ve ever made.
[googlevideo=http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-9050474362583451279&hl=en]
Note: Getting out of debt and saving money is #4 in the Effort Diet Challenge.
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I’m challenging myself. And I’m challenging you, too.
Last month Seth Godin posted a thoughtful piece: “Is Effort a Myth?” Seth writes about the difference between luck and effort—both provide great results, only with the former you hope for it to happen and with the latter you can choose for it to happen.
In the piece, Seth includes a sample list of ingredients for an “effort” diet and says:
“Go through the list and decide whether or not it’s worth it. Or make up your own diet. Effort is a choice, at least make it on purpose. If you somehow pulled this off…you would be the fittest, best rested, most intelligent, best funded and motivated person in your office or your field. You would know how to do things other people don’t, you’d have a wider network and you’d be more focused.”
On November first, I started the Effort Diet Challenge. I hope you will join me.
P.S. I will periodically report my progress here and in Triiibes.
UPDATE – Interesting article on 14 November 2008: You Can Only Change Yourself
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Green building, also known as sustainable building, is growing like weeds. “The global green building market is projected to double in size…over the next four years,” according to State of Green Business 2008, a report by Greenbiz.com.
With the promise of even bigger payouts and benefits, the green building market is also attracting impressive seed money. Global venture capital investment in clean technologies, a core component of green building, jumped 43 percent last year according to Dow Jones VentureSource.
As an economic powerhouse, green building will cross-pollinate many secondary and tertiary industries, making rain for business owners and sun for its inhabitants. For example, a research report by Clean Edge projects that Solar “will grow from a $20.3 billion industry in 2007 to $74 billion by 2017.” And a report by the American Solar Energy Society says that by 2030 the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors could generate up to 40 million jobs and $4.5 trillion in revenue.
In addition, a report released by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation called Green Building in North America says: “In the United States, the annual cost of building-related sickness is estimated to be $60 billion. According to researchers, green building has the potential to generate an additional $200 billion annually in worker performance improvements by creating offices with better indoor environmental quality, including air and natural light.”
With much at stake and much to gain, the race to secure the sustainability leadership edge among the States is on. To maintain its competitive advantage, Oregon – a nationally recognized leader in green building – is successfully securing its frontrunner status by planning, preparing, and promoting its green future. Oregon’s 2008 Policy Initiative and Playbook lays it all out: “Economies built on sustainability…will better navigate emerging constraints in resources and regulation by reducing their environmental footprint, making better use of raw material, producing products more efficiently, and reducing costs and improving margins.”
But, more importantly, Oregon is executing on its plan to lock down the green edge. A big part of that plan is ensuring that there’s enough skilled labor to support its rapidly growing green industry. So Oregon, like other states around the country, offers green certificate programs at its colleges and universities – some in conjunction with the Cascadia Sustainability Academy.
This week, I begin a nine-month certification program to become a “National Sustainable Building Advisor.” As a seasoned marketing communications professional, why would I want to become certified in sustainable building?
I’m passionate about sustainability and its power to stimulate local-to-global markets, and positively impact professional and personal lives. For me, I believe that obtaining a green certificate will complement not only my career but also my retirement – particularly when I build my own sustainable home one day.
The grass really is looking greener on the other side.
NOTE: Here’s more information about the National Sustainable Building Advisor program and its intent: “To build a community of Sustainable Building Advisors who can confidently and knowledgeably promote sustainable building to the industry and the public.”
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What’s a lazy music person (LMP)? One who loves music, but doesn’t actively seek out new music and hardly ever changes what he or she is currently listening to.
I’m a lazy music person and so is my husband – this is probably one of our least favorite common denominators.
Anyone who knows me would never guess that I’m an LMP because I love music. People I’ve danced with and gone to concerts with and just hung out with have seen me in the music ZONE. My friends who’ve driven with me in my car have also seen me in the zone, much to their chagrin, as I sang at the top of my lungs to the songs on the radio. So, knowing all this, how can I still be an LMP?
Well, I’m not sure if it’s genetic or what…but here are some real-life examples of how a lazy music person operates and may eventually end up embracing new music:
Friend creates a cool mix CD called, “Girls Night Out” and hands it out at a Bachelorette Party.
RESULT: Easy transfer of different music – I wore out the CD because I finally had something new to listen to (and the mix also featured some “classics!”).
Same friend (who happens to be a Non-LMP) tells me that if I want to get better support from the IT Department, then I need to approach (a Non-LMP) fellow colleague and mention how cool Depeche Mode’s latest album is.
RESULT: (In addition to getting the IT support), I realized I hadn’t listened to Depeche in a bazillion years and checked out their new album online – saw there was a Touring the Angel concert in town and went…turned out to be one of the top 3 concerts I ever attended (and I’ve been to…hmmm…way more than you can imagine). The next time I was “passing by” a music store, I went in and bought Depeche’s CD.
I walk into a small boutique in Chile and hear the most amazing music…my eyes get moist (for some reason, my eyes often get moist whenever I hear awesome music)…the young lady at the cash register sees la loca norteamericana getting misty while looking up at the speakers. I say in stilted Spanish, “Who am I listening to?” Young lady: “Myriam Hernandez.” I say, “Cuento cuesta, por favor?”
RESULT: I paid $28 USD for a used CD (it was the young lady’s personal CD). SECRET: I probably would have paid $40. Because it was there and it was available and I loved it. And because I’m an LMP.
Are you a lazy music person? Do you have an LMP story or comment to share? Tell me…what do you think the size of the LMP market really is??? If Starbucks can sell 4 million music CDs per year – not bad considering coffee is their core business – then I’m thinking there are many more LMPs out there than care to admit it.
At least the next time I get the courage up to visit the iTunes store, I won’t feel so alone.
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As I stood with my arms outstretched and legs spread in the sea of people – many of whom cast curious, suspicious or accusatory glances – the uniformed woman said: “Before I begin, is there any part of your body that may suffer pain as a result of this search?” I said “just my heart.”
Why would the touch of a mere physical search of my person reach to the inner depths of my soul?
I stood frozen with arms outstretched – not strong and welcoming like the Christ statue in Rio, but weak and weary – beholding the cruel realities of our nation’s current state. Our rights have all but eroded. And our freedoms are no longer protected.
These are not new issues and they’ve been propagating at a brisk pace. Although I’ve always found them disturbing, this time it hit close to home…and all I was trying to do was to go home.
What was my crime? I stood in line – to get on a plane in Jackson Hole, WY.
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