Category: motivation

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motivation

Feeling a little Tempted today?

Cartoon of a man with a desert. He says, "How can it be temptation if I never resisted in the first place?"
©2020 Kevin Spear

I don’t know about you, but ice cream can be a big temptation to me. Then there’s chocolate, coffee, fudge, and cookies, among others!

We all have temptations around us. Advertising plays into our temptations. As business people, we are continually wanting to find a need and fill it. Those needs can be temptations that is another person’s weakness.

When you are facing a temptation that you want to tame, here are some ways to deal with it.

  • Pause to think before you act
  • Consider if this temptation works against your goals
  • Think about how you will feel once you give in
    • How will you feel in three hours?
    • The next day?
    • Next month?
  • Talk with a trusted friend with whom you shared your goal and that supports you

It’s okay to have a little ice cream once in a while. But are there other temptations that are holding you back from where you want to be in the future? Consider the ramifications before you dive in.

Cartoon of a man with a desert. He says, "How can it be temptation if I never resisted in the first place?"
©2020 Kevin Spear
Categories
motivation

Are you going to build up or tear down today?

Cartoon of a bully and his dog

When I drew this cartoon, I was thinking about what it would sound like if a school bully used psychiatric language to describe his actions. Since that time, my kids and one of my nephews have become very interested in psychology. Go figure!

Every day, we have a chance to tear someone down or build someone up with our words. We can give someone more hopelessness and make them feel lousy about themselves and the world, or encourage them to see there is hope and a future.

Not everyone is going to take the cue and be encouraging in return. In fact, some may scorn a positive attitude. After all, if someone receives hundreds of discouraging messages and then they hear one encouraging word, it will take more encouragement to reverse the trend.

There is no shortage of discouragement, ridicule, and doom in this world. Are you going to continue that trend, or are you going to be a positive difference today? Are you going to feel better by ridiculing another, or are you going to be a breath of fresh air and encourage someone today? Let’s make a positive choice.

Cartoon of a bully and his dog
Categories
Business motivation

Transitions: The Waiting is the Smartest Part

When I read this Inc.com article about United Airlines and the importance of smooth leadership transitions in business, I was impressed by how a CEO and leadership had the wherewithal to leave a business on good footing. What was more impressive is that the transition has occurred during the coronavirus pandemic and that by outside observations, it has been a smooth transition from to Oscar Munoz to Scott Kirby.

All airlines have had some rough times lately. What would have happened if the former CEO didn’t have a plan? Would United be in a much rougher spot? Would Munoz have been forced to stay on while the crisis dragged on?

Transition plans matter, but can be tough to plan and implement. It forces the leader to acknowledge they won’t be there forever. It is why Summer Redstone of Viacom and Rupert Murdoch of News Corp have had such a hard time with it. Their egos and the required humility to face your mortality can be too much for many leaders, especially if they founded the company.

But if you want an entity that will outlast you, a healthy, thoughtful transition is necessary.

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motivation

Phoenix Church Ministers Creatively

I had the opportunity to write an article for Church of God Ministries. It is about a church that found a way to minister to the community during the coronavirus pandemic.

Phoenix Church Hosts Socially Distanced Drive-in Movie
I wrote this article for Church of God Ministries.

Arcadia City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, used an inflatable screen and some electronic expertise to have a drive-in movie family night. Pastors Michael and Christy Fay were inspired by their growing family. They observed how one of their children longed for connection during the quarantine.

I love how instead of getting frustrated and upset about how the crisis has changed how we do church, they were inspired to find a solution. As we continue to experience challenges, let’s all look for ways we can reach out and help others. We can all turn negative situations into solutions that can benefit us and our communities.

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motivation

Seth Godin on the truth about rubylith

When I read Seth Godin’s take on change and advancements in graphic arts, I was taken aback by how right he was.

When I was in college, and early in my graphic arts career, rubylith was the only way to get solid areas for plate making. We would use it to allow space for halftone photos. The following video shows how it was done:

How graphic artists used rubylith and amberlith

This was the only way to effectively create layouts for graphic arts… until desktop publishing came along. Frankly, I was very glad when computer took over graphic arts. Rubylith was time-consuming. If I made one mistake, I would have to start over. Programs such as Aldus Freehand and Adobe Illustrator became my friends. I still use Adobe Illustrator today.

There was nothing wrong with using rubylith, especially when it was the only way to achieve some effects. But now Adobe Illustrator makes that work easier and faster. When the transition began, I remember several graphic artists that were not fans of the new way. Many eventually came around. Some held on to the bitter end when they were forced to retire or explore other careers.

Now that I am in the second half of my career, I would like to think that when something better comes along, I will embrace it. The change was good then. I see systems and techniques in my current role that have worked well. But could there be something better that we haven’t explored or have been blind to? Are we holding on to another type of rubylith?

No matter how old you are, I encourage you to embrace change. I can understand why artists with decades of traditional layout experience resisted change. But it didn’t serve them well. If there is a new way to do things, check it out. it may be the best thing that ever happened to your career or even your life.