Category Archives: Career Change

Posts related to career change

The “A” List

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When I went back to grad school a few years ago, my husband and son teased me about my grades.   “You’re an overachiever, Mom,” my son said.

“Only an A?” my husband teased.  “Why not an A+?”

All right.  It’s true.  I can be an obsessive Type A, especially when it comes to school.  Each test, each project was a gauntlet, a challenge that I wanted to win, I needed to win.

Now that my diploma is safely tucked under my arm, I can admit that I needed that 4.0 as a visible sign of my intelligence, as proof that I deserved to be recognized, I deserved a place in the spotlight.

Are you like me–eager to shine, eager to be rewarded?  Do you yearn for your “15-minutes” of fame?  Have you thought about why you need this affirmation?  Here’s a liberating and thought-provoking 30-second quiz I came across on a fellow-blogger’s site.  No need to grab a pen and paper, just read the questions and think a little about them:

1.  Name the five wealthiest people in the world.

2.  Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.

3.  Name the last five winners of the Miss America contest.

4.  Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer prize.

5.  Name the last five Academy Award winners for Best Actor and Actress.

How did you do?  If you’re like me, you had trouble remembering more than a few names.  But the point here is that many top achievers stay in the spotlight for just a short time and do not linger in our memories.  After the applause fades away and the awards collect dust, their achievements are often forgotten.

Now here’s another quiz.  Let’s see how you do on this one:

1. Name three teachers who aided your journey through school.

2. Name three friends who helped you through a difficult time.

3. Name five people who have taught you something worth while.

4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.

5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

Easier?  I suspect so.  But the point is, which list would you want to be on?   When I was younger, I would have told you I wanted be on the “A” list.  I wanted the wider fame, the bigger accolades.  But now, I am a bit wiser.   The recognition I was seeking in grad school could not be earned merely by good grades.  It needed to come from within me.  And equally as important, the recognition that meant the most came from the people I love.  And finally, I learned that the achievement I value the most is to have an impact on the lives of the people who are dear to me. These people are special, not because of their credentials, their money, or their awards.  They make a difference because of their kindness, their love and concern, and their wisdom.

Perhaps this seems obvious to you.  But for me, this was a lesson I needed to learn.  And so, my question to you is–has your definition of success changed as you’ve grown older? If so, how?  What type of recognition do you desire?  Is the recognition you have received “enough,” or do you want more?

Claiming Your Happiness

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“My sister was my best friend when we were growing up, but that changed when we were teenagers,” she said, standing in the spotlight on stage amidst the other members of the chorus.  She paused.  “She became interested in boys and I didn’t.”

All of us in the audience laughed, but our laughter faded as she described what happened next.  She told her family she was gay and they refused to accept it.  She told them she loved a woman, but her family would not acknowledge them as a couple.  Instead, they called the woman she loved a “roommate.”

When her younger sister announced her marriage plans, the woman’s family gave her ultimatum–come alone to the wedding or don’t come at all.  “I did not go,” she said.

Their relationship improved over the years as members of her family tried to mend the rift.   Her sister divorced.   Her parents divorced, and still her own partnership endured.

But now, her sister is re-marrying.  “I want to go the wedding and bring my partner, the woman I have loved for over 20 years,” she told us.  But again, her family said,  “Come alone.”

“What should I do?” she asked the audience.

“Don’t go,” someone shouted from the back of the theater.

She nodded and paused.  “I’m not going,” she said and people started to cheer.  “I refuse to go if they don’t recognize who I am and the woman I love.”

Alone in the spotlight, she paused and looked out at us in the audience.  We were still applauding as she left the stage.

It is days later and I am still thinking of her courage, which is humbling and immense.  It reminds me how, many years ago, I said “no,” to my family when they objected to the man I loved and wanted to marry because of his religion.  Like the woman in the theater, I said “no” to the people who were supposed to love me unconditionally, and in doing so, I claimed my own happiness.  In fighting for the life I wanted, with the man I loved and still love, I have taken a new path in life which has brought me immense joy.

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History books are written about people with courage.  We erect statues to them.  Perhaps they battled against governments, against invading armies, against oppressors, against diseases, against basic human rights.  But there are thousands of others who fight nearly alone, who take tremendous risks to do what their hearts and minds tell them is the right thing to do.  And in doing so, they stake their own claims for happiness.  This is what you and I do when we break from the old scripts, the old paths and start anew.  It is not easy.  In fact, saying “no” was one of the hardest things I have ever done.  But it has liberated me, just as it will liberate you.  It will take us into new territory, and fill us with unexpected joy.

And so, I wish you courage, my friends,  as you say no to the people who want to write your scripts, who want to tell you how you should live your life.  I applaud you as you say “no” and stake your claim to happiness.

Guiltless Macaroni and Cheese

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From Italialicious.com

For the past few weeks, I’ve been miserable, laid low by a nasty respiratory virus that just won’t quit.  Now, in week 3, my energy and appetite are happily returning, and I’ve been craving comfort food.  Because I don’t want excess weight to compound my misery, I’ve been searching for low fat versions of comfort classics.   So, I’m happy to share a recipe for a lower calorie version of macaroni and cheese that I ate in Rome in October.

Made with only 3 ingredients, pasta cacio e pepe is quick, economical, and easy.  It also has far fewer calories than its American cousin–the delightfully rich macaroni and cheese made with milk, cheddar cheese, and flour.  Although traditionally made with spaghetti, pasta cacio e pepe is adaptable to virtually any type of pasta.  The key though is the cheese.  I’ve seen some versions with pecorino cheese, but Romans use caciocavallo cheese, which tastes like a buttery, yet pungent version of cheddar.  It gives the necessary punch to what very well could be a bland dish.  I feared that I’d never find it in my local grocery store, but it was there, nearly hidden among the wedges of parmegiana cheese.  Another necessary ingredient is freshly ground pepper.  One option is to add a drizzle of olive oil at the very end.

There’s nothing more soothing on a sick day than a warm bowl of creamy pasta comfort.  If you have other low-fat versions of comfort classics, please share!

Pasta Cacio e Pepe

(Pasta with cheese and pepper)

  • 14 oz spaghetti or any type of pasta
  • 1 cup grated caciocavallo cheese

Boil the spaghetti until al dente.  Then drain, reserving a few tablespoons of the cooking liquid.  Put the pasta in a bowl and sprinkle generously with the cheese and pepper.  Add sufficient pasta-cooking water to melt the cheese and become slightly creamy.  Mix thoroughly and serve hot.

Source:  Culinaria Italy:  Pasta, Pesto, Passion by Claudio Piras and Ruprecht Stempell.  H.F. Ullmann Publishers, page 338.

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

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One step forward.  Two steps back.

That is what I remind myself this week, as I log in many hours on the couch, laid low by a nasty respiratory virus.  It has stopped me in my tracks, forcing me to push aside my work and wait, surrendering to my body and its needs.  Still, my mind leaps ahead, struggling with the delay, with my lack of progress.  I am not a good patient.

One step forward.  Two steps back.  This is our journey through life.  My time on the couch reinforces this bit of knowledge.  In my rush through daily life I had forgotten it again.  But as I linger on the sofa, I am forced to remember it.

This bit of wisdom was illustrated beautifully on our last trip to Paris.  We took the train to Chartres to visit its Gothic masterpiece.  Pushing open the heavy oak cathedral doors, we stepped into the shadows and were whisked back to the Middle Ages.  Dozens of flickering candles and magnificent stained glass windows scattered shards of light and color across the walls and floor.  We were dwarfed by the soaring majesty of its vaulted dome.  As we wandered around the perimeter of the nave, we found a space where the chairs had been cleared away to reveal a labyrinth inlaid in stone on the church floor.  Intrigued, my husband, son and I followed the path, falling into step behind two barefoot pilgrims, their feet moving in an odd ritualized dance.  One step forward.  Two steps back. Jubilant smiles flooded their faces with light and hope. Intrigued, we kept walking.

From http://www.discover-chartres.com/chartres-blog.html

Unlike a maze with several alternative routes, the labyrinth has just one path, leading inevitably towards a goal at the center—in this case an engraved copper plaque, which was melted down during the French Revolution.   It pictured a six-petaled rose, the symbol of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty.  In the spirit of adventure, we followed the path as it wound through 4 quadrants, each with 7 turns.  As we walked, my mind skittered from thought to thought and then slowed.  I felt like a child again, playing a game, lost in the moment.  My son, who obediently followed the rules, moved in step behind the pilgrims, his eyes fixed on the path, a look of intense concentration on his face.   Even my husband, who is usually in a rush, lingered along the 666-foot path, called “Le Chemin de Jerusalem” or Road to Jerusalem, symbolizing the belief that walking the labyrinth was akin to making a sacred pilgrimage.

One step forward and two steps back.  I didn’t share the pilgrim’s faith or their religion.  But still, I followed the path, looping back and charging ahead, so unlike the arrow-straight highways and train lines, which I am familiar with.  The pilgrims’ odd dance went against the grain of my American upbringing and way of thinking–that human life and progress are linear, based on a straight progression from birth to death, from rags to riches, from oblivion to fame.  But as I grow older, I know the ancients are right.

The pilgrims’ odd dance illustrates a truth about life—that it is a circuitous route with blind alleys, double backs, and moments of confusion when we feel like we’re traveling in circles.   Progress is never linear.  It’s a series of false starts and even failure before eventual success.

Perhaps it is enough to simply recognize that we are all walking the labyrinth.  With patience and time, the answers to our questions and worries will come.  Only then, can we make sense of the roadblocks and detours.  It might take years of blindly stumbling one step forward and two steps back as we reach the goals we have set for ourselves.  For me, I have set myself with the goal-of staring down the blank page or staring through the lens of my camera and summoning my courage to reveal little bits of light, of truth.  With patience and tenacity, I’ll stumble through the darkness and find my way.

The same as true for you, I am sure of it.  Someday our paths will be as clear as the one inscribed on the church floor.  And when that day happens, we’ll look back and know the journey was worth it.  This is what we must believe, no matter what our religious beliefs.   We have to have faith that we will understand some day, just like the pilgrims who walked the path and found meaning in the journey, not just the destination.

Mind Over Matter?

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Several weekends ago,  I was working at my computer when the pain started.  It  radiated through my fingers and up my wrist.  It was so severe, I stopped typing.  Immediately my mind leapt to the worst.  “Nerve damage.  Carpal tunnel.  Surgery.”

Admittedly, I am a hypochondriac.  I come from a long line of them.   An innocent comment will start my mind spinning–like the time just a week or so ago when I heard a co-worker say, “I caught it from my grandkids.  I was sick for days.”  My mind worked feverishly.  Sick with what?  Was she still contagious? I wanted to take a step backwards, politely excuse myself, and liberally douse my hands with Purell.

But this pain was real.   For hours I was consumed with it.  It worsened as the hours passed.  In calmer moments, I reminded myself that this had happened before.   So, I pulled out the book that I always turn to in times like this–Dr. John Sarno’s Healing Back Pain.  Yes, back pain.  Dr. Sarno is a world-renowned expert in TMJ–Tension Myosis Syndrome.  He stresses that the pain is real, but it has an emotional, not physical root cause.  From his research with thousands of patients, he can state that this sudden and severe pain in various parts of the body originates from repressed emotions.  Now, before you start thinking he’s a new age quack, let me tell you he is a professor of Clinical Rehabilitation Medicine at New York University School of Medicine in New York.   I read through Dr. Sarno’s book that night and within a few hours, I had identified the emotional root cause of my pain.  Soon, it started to ebb.  When it flared up again, I sent my mind back to my emotions.  Later that night and through the next day, the pain had largely disappeared.  From time to time, when it flared, I asked, “What is really worrying me?”  When I pinpointed the answer and thought through it, the pain ebbed.

Perhaps you are skeptical, but curious about the mind-body connection, like I was.  Perhaps you have tried traditional medicine and you are still in pain.  Perhaps your pain limits you and makes you fearful.  If so, I have a wonderful resource for you.   The Winter of Wellness is hosting a series of 45-minute talks on the mind, body, and spirit throughout February and March.   These talks are free and can be accessed for a week after the original broadcast.  All you need to do is register with the Institute and they will send you a link to the daily broadcasts.  Here’s the registration link:  http://winterofwellness.com/   If you decide to listen, let me know your thoughts.  Are you still skeptical or are you convinced?  I’d love to hear what you think.

From Excuses to Action

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In part 2 of my post “What’s Your Excuse?” we’ll focus on how to move from making excuses to taking action.  A very practical solution is outlined in the book Five Steps To Overcome Resistance to Change, by Harvard professors Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey.  Their five-step process is straight-forward, logical, and easy to follow.  In this post, I’ll outline the authors’ 5 step process and use my own experiment in breaking down the excuse barrier as an example.

First, I took a sheet of paper, divided it into 5 columns, and labeled with the titles shown below.  (If you are like me and find it easier to type than write, you can create a table in Microsoft Word.)  In the first column, I recorded my current behavior, noting what did or didn’t happen as a result of my assumptions.   In my case, I noted my habit of relegating my writing and other creative projects to the weekends.   I had plenty of excuses.  I commute, I work from 8:30 to 5, most nights, I’m tired when I come home…and so on.   As a result, my creative projects are squeezed into free time on the weekends.   In  the second column, I jotted down experiences or other evidence that might cast doubt on the validity of my assumption.  In my case, I noted that I had taken photographs of a sunset, for example, after work.  That evidence disproved my belief that I didn’t have the time or energy to work on creative projects during the week.  I also noted that I wasted some of my free time by watching too many re-runs on TV.
Current Behavior Contrary Evidence Explore the History Test the Assumption Evaluate the Results  
I tell myself that I can only write and do other creative projects on the weekends and I don’t have time during the week.  As a result, I’m frustrated when I’m busy on the weekends and don’t have time to “indulge” in creativity.  This is not healthy for me and makes me difficult to live with! Is it true I have no free time during the week?  In fact, I spend far too much time watching reruns on TV in the evening.  I could use that time to write or edit photos even if it’s just for half an hour.  Occasionally, I have also used my free time during the week to take photographs. I believe that I can only do creative projects when I have the right conditions—enough sleep, enough time, enough quiet.  This assumption took root in my 20′s when I was working, commuting, and going to grad school. In the evenings, I have started editing photos on my laptop.  Even if the T.V. is on, I can still concentrate on editing.  I’m also reading during my lunch hour, to get background information for a new writing project. The conditions aren’t always ideal, but there are some creative projects that I can do during the week.  This makes me feel satisfied and creatively fulfilled on a more regular basis.

Step 3 is to explore the history of this assumption.  How and when did the assumption(s) take hold?  In my case, it started many years before when I was working, commuting, and going to grad school.   Back then, I believed  that I needed to devote many hours at a stretch to writing or other creative projects and I couldn’t squeeze them into an “ordinary” day.

The next step is to test the assumption in a safe environment, which allows me to “escape” from the situation if I began to feel uncomfortable or uneasy.  In my case, one night after work, I took a series of shots of a beautiful sunset and on another night, I edited photos while watching TV.  I also started bringing a book to work, so on my lunch hour, I could do some preparatory work for a new writing project.

The final step is to evaluate the results.  My little experiment worked.   It gave me an alternate way to think and act  Even devoting a few minutes in the evening to photography or reading on my lunch hour left me feeling happier and more satisfied during the week.  My change was relatively easy and safe, however.   The authors caution that this is not an easy process, and tackling problems head-on in this way can be painful and challenging. However, it has been tremendously rewarding to understand the “old” assumptions were blocking me from acting.  It was liberating to bring my resistance to the surface and try out new tools to cope with an inner conflict that was preventing me  from achieving my goals.  If you try it, let me know whether it works for you too.

Source:  THE REAL REASON PEOPLE WON’T CHANGE
Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey

What’s Your Excuse?

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She was anxious.  I could read it on her face.

She had glanced at my address as I finished placing an order for a new pair of eyeglasses, and asked if I liked living downtown.  “I love it,” I said, gesturing out the shop window at the people ice skating in the park across the street and the coffee shops, restaurants, museum, and hotels within the perimeter of my gaze.   “An apartment is so much easier to take care of than a house,” I added.   She nodded and told me she was also thinking of downsizing and moving nearby.    Her children were grown, she explained, and she was tired of the expense and upkeep of a house.  Besides, there was so much more to do downtown than in the suburbs.  Her kids were encouraging her to do it, but she still hadn’t made the move.

She bit her lip.  “I’d miss my garden,” she said, wistfully.  “I love to garden.  Don’t you miss it?”   I told her did, but visited parks and other outdoor spaces to fulfill my need for green.   She continued to quiz me, and list other reasons why she shouldn’t make the move–the effort, the time, the expense, the housing market.  In the end, she thanked me for my opinion and said she’d keep it in mind.  I had the distinct impression that she was stuck in the data gathering phase, weighing the pros and cons and opinions of people, but wouldn’t ultimately take action and make the move.

When facing change, many people “get stuck.” Why?  Putting on my therapist’s hat, I’d diagnose her failure to change for several reasons:  1.  She is afraid ;  2.  She doesn’t want to make a mistake;  3.  It takes time and energy to move;  4.  She’s wondering whether the financial and physical “cost” of moving will outweigh the benefits;  5. She is not sure what the change will “give” her;  6.  She knows the change necessitates giving up something(s) that is/are valued.

I’ve been there.  Sometimes I can think of a million reasons why I should stay “stuck.”  It’s uncomfortable place, but its familiarity is oddly comforting.

Now, it’s your turn.  Think about a change you are contemplating.  It may or may not be voluntary.   It could be personal or related to your career.   If you are “stuck” between action and inaction, you are not alone.   Do any of these excuses sound familiar?  They were compiled by Morgan W. Mc Call, Jr. who collected managers’ and executives’ responses to the question, “Why haven’t you changed something you believe you should have?”   Do any of them resonate with you?

  • You don’t accept the need to change
  • You don’t want to admit mistakes or flaws.
  • You aren’t motivated to change.
  • You are weighing the costs in time and energy.
  • The benefit is unclear.
  • You are not personally committed to the change.
  • You don’t see the real importance of change.
  • You don’t know how to change.
  • The change requires that you give up something of value.
  • You are not sure what the change will “give” you.
  • You are comfortable the way you are.
  • You are afraid of looking stupid or feeling incompetent.
  • You feel intimidated by others who have made the change already.
  • You are too busy to change.
  • People around you don’t support the change.
  • You are afraid to make mistakes.
  • You are afraid of failure.
  • You need to be liked.

In part 2 of this post, we’ll explore ways to overcome resistance to change.

Comfort Food Guilt?

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When I’m stressed out, I reach for chocolate.  It’s my comfort food of choice.  Other favorites are tea with milk and sugar, and cookies.

My husband, on the other hand, reaches for salted nuts, pretzels, and potato chips.  This comfort food gender split is fairly typical, apparently.  In a Cornell University study in 2005 of 277 men and women, the researchers concluded that women’s source of edible comfort is in sweet and sugary foods, like ice cream, whereas men prefer savory food like steak and soup.*   Another interesting conclusion drawn from this study is that men seem to use comfort food as a reward, whereas women’s indulgence seems to provoke guilt.

This is certainly true for me.  But I’ve found a way to combat the guilt.

For chocolate, I eat a small piece nearly every day, often with my morning cup of tea.  That way I give myself a tiny bit of indulgence, which lasts all day long.  Other times, I save my piece of chocolate until the end of the day as a special treat.  I’d rather factor in that bit of indulgence into my overall calorie consumption and adjust accordingly by cutting back on bread or crackers!

As for my tea cravings, this also presented a problem, because I am sensitive to caffeine and simply don’t like the bland and boring decaffeinated teas on the market.   What’s worse is that my tea of choice is PG Tips, a rich, British black tea blend which is full-bodied and delicious, and heavy in caffeine.  But I solved that too after learning that most of the caffeine in tea is released in the first minute of steeping.  So, I pour an inch or so of boiling water into the teacup, swirl it around, pour it out, and then re-fill the cup with boiling water.  This little step eliminates most of the caffeine and I can happily drink 2 cups of tea without the jitters.

My question to you is–what is your comfort food of choice?  Do you feel guilty about indulging in it?  If so, how do you combat it?

(*Source:  Smith, Stephen W. “Comfort food psychology.” November 17, 2005. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/11/17/health/main1055408.shtml)

On the Road of Good Intentions

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The party season has begun.  Before we know it, we will be facing January, that month of contrition, when we resolve to undo the excesses of November and December.  Contrition often takes the form of  New Year’s resolutions.  They remind me of soda cans, soon discarded along the road of good intentions…that ancient, long, and well-traveled road, worn smooth by many shoes. Like many of us, I have made and abandoned these resolutions and felt worse for it.  Despite this, I keep making new ones.  One change I need to make is to cut down on refined sugars.  But every day, when I’m making my morning cup of tea, I slide my teaspoon into the sugar bowl, and my mind plays the same script narrated by my own little Glinda, the good witch, who debates my Wicked Witch of the West.

Glinda: “You know you should eat less sugar.”

Wicked Witch of the West:  “I know I should, but I love that jolt of sweetness first thing in the morning.”

Glinda:  “You really should cut back.  You know sugar isn’t good for you.”

WWW: “I know, I know, but it’s just one little teaspoon.  What’s one teaspoon?”

Needless to say, the Wicked Witch  often wins. But the fact remains that my Glindas, or good intentions, are not enough to change my behavior.  This mental battle is explained in the book Switch:  How to Change Things When Change is Hard by Chip and Dan Heath.  The authors argue that our minds are  ruled by two systems:  the rational and emotional. In my little script above, my Glinda would be my rational mind and the Wicked Witch would be my emotional.  Therefore, I need to engage both Glinda and the Wicked Witch (my emotional  love of sweets).  Their compelling argument, supported by decades of research in psychology and sociology and case studies from business, health sciences, education, and the government, shows how to support the structure of lasting change.  The Heath brothers give detailed examples of how to engage our rational minds, motivate our emotional system, and structure a path that will lead to the final destination or goal.  In their chapter on “Overcoming Obstacles,” I can quickly find my problem:  “I know what I should be doing, but I’m not doing it.”  Their diagnosis and advice?  1)  My rational mind is on board, but I have an emotional problem.  I am not convincing my Wicked Witch (lover of sweets) to jump on the bandwagon; 2)) I can start out small and think of one tiny change that I can make right now, which will get one step closer to my goal;  3) I can change my “path” by making a change in my environment so that I’m “forced” to change.  For example, I could stop buying sugar or I could replace sugar with Stevia;  4)  And finally, I can enlist the help of someone else so we can reinforce the new behavior.

I have decided to choose option 2–starting out small.  I am going to gradually decrease the amount of sugar I use every day.  So instead of 4 or 5 teaspoons over the course of a day, I’ll use 2 …or 2.5.  I will keep you posted on my progress!

Now, here’s a question for those of you who have made a positive change this  year.  Why is it working?  Share the secret of your success at:  

If you’d like to take a look at the Heath brothers’ book, here the link:  http://www.amazon.com/Switch-Change-Things-When-Hard/dp/0385528752/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1322413303&sr=1-1

Walking the Roman Ruins

 

Afraid of Technology?

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I was… even though I had tackled digital photography and blogging, iPods, Macs, and twittering.   But  the thought of mastering e-Learning software like Articulate and Camtasia and the dreaded F-word…Flash sent shivers through me.  I had hit a brick wall.  All of a sudden, I wasn’t sure I could learn it.

My son talked me through it.  “Don’t be like them,” he said.  “Them?” I asked.  “Them,” he repeated.  “Them” were the people who shunned technology because they were afraid, but camouflaged their fear by insisting they didn’t need to learn it or didn’t like it.   The minute he said this, I knew he was right.  I was afraid.  Fear was the elephant in the room I hadn’t allowed myself to acknowledge.   And what was worse, this elephant just about guaranteed that I couldn’t learn.    My son told me to stop it.  He insisted I could learn if I stopped being afraid.   “You can do it, Mom.  I’ll help you,” he promised.

From that moment forward. the fear started to shrink and shrivel like the Wicked Witch of the West after Dorothy doused her with water.  Soon, it was small enough for me to dissect it–fear of failure, of not being clever enough or young enough to learn something new in an area that I had perceived as difficult.  But was it really as difficult as I feared?  Why couldn’t I think of Flash in the same way I had thought about blogging years before?   “It’s something new, it’s fun, so let’s try it.”  When I wasn’t able to figure something out right way, I had stuck with it until I could.  Was this any different, really?

Well, now, I can tell you with a year or so experience under my belt,  that it isn’t different at all.    Being able to master something new, something out of your comfort zone all comes down to your attitude, perseverance, and identifying your resources.  This last point is crucial.  You need to know your go-to resources.   Sometimes they are books or information that you can retrieve from the web;  sometimes they are the people with “the knowledge,” and still, at other points, they might be instructional videos.   This last source has been terrific.  What could be better than to have someone actually walk you through a process or step?  And unlike a “real person” you can “ask” them repeat this knowledge over and over.

Here are four terrific knowledge resources that I’d like to share with you:

#1:   You Tube.   This is a fantastic resource.   There are thousands of educational “how to” videos on just about any topic you can think of.  Just Google the topic and select “videos” in the “everything”  column on the far left and you’ll be amazed how many you’ll find.  www.youtube.com

#2:  Lynda.com.  This is another great educational video source which offers thousands of video tutorials on how to use technology and software for the home computer, audio, video, photography, web, design, animation, and business.   Can’t figure out how to use your new iPhone or iPad?  Want to know how to use keyboard shortcuts for your G Mail?  Look no further.  www.lynda.com

#3: Wolfram Alpha. This computational knowledge base was created by human experts.  If you need to solve a mathematical problem, compute your mortgage payment for a 30 years at a 6.5% interest rate, or if you need to get data on a particular topic (the size of a freight container or even the size of a tracheal tube for a 5-year-old who weighs 45 pounds and is 44 inches tall, for instance), you can find it at www.wolframalpha.com

#4:  Ted Talks.  This site, run by a non-profit organization, houses a repository of  17-minute lectures on a variety of  topics in the arts, science, world issues, creativity, technology, and  design.  The speakers are often fascinating, provocative, and highly entertaining.  I am still mesmerized by the talk by Arthur Benjamin who is a mathematical “magician”, able to compute large sums at lighting speeds.  Listen to him at:

http://www.ted.com/talks/arthur_benjamin_does_mathemagic.html

Who and what are your resources?  Let’s share!