I've been reading Seth Godin's Linchpin and letting his message sink in. There are many things I've been getting out of it, including the importance of shipping (never miss a deadline!), the commitment to being a contribution, to being an artist, and the willingness to give gifts.
He puts a lot of emphasis on the artist's imperative or role being: to give gifts. What does this mean? What are the gifts I can give?
I think one of the gifts I give other people--that we can all give each other--is presence, attention, paradoxical listening. Seeing and treating someone like a human being. Being a champion and advocate for humanity. Writing is merely one method of doing this, but it is something I practice every day in many different ways.
I think it can be helpful to approach every type of work with that kind of generosity. "Giving gifts" is an attitude, a mentality, a way of showing up. It also reminds me of Ben Zander's suggestion (in The Art of Possibility) to "be a contribution." We can always show up with a generous spirit and the intention to give gifts.
I've been working part-time at Amazon while I'm working on my teaching certification. It's about as close to a factory job as one can get, which is exactly what Seth talks about in Linchpin. But since I've been reading it, I've started to view my role, even in such a limited position, as an opportunity to give gifts. I'm amazed by how such a seemingly small shift in perspective can have a huge effect on my level of self-efficacy and satisfaction in a job that previously felt impersonal and unrewarding.
I've begun to view what could be described as a mundane, manual labor job as a potential privilege, a chance to give gifts. Whether it's making a personal connection with someone through conversation, or with simply thinking about how my actions on the job can serve my coworkers in making their jobs easier.
It's also made me appreciate the value of perspective, of viewing writing or art as a way of sharing or inspiring a new perspective. As John Keating reminds his students in Dead Poets Society, "Words and ideas can change the world." It gives me the courage and motivation to continue to share my own perspective, to view my role as a writer and artist as a privilege, the chance to give gifts, to inspire hope and possibility.
So my question worth asking is: What would happen if you viewed your job, your work--your life--not as a means to an end, or as something to be endured, but instead saw it as an opportunity to give gifts?
He puts a lot of emphasis on the artist's imperative or role being: to give gifts. What does this mean? What are the gifts I can give?
I think one of the gifts I give other people--that we can all give each other--is presence, attention, paradoxical listening. Seeing and treating someone like a human being. Being a champion and advocate for humanity. Writing is merely one method of doing this, but it is something I practice every day in many different ways.
I think it can be helpful to approach every type of work with that kind of generosity. "Giving gifts" is an attitude, a mentality, a way of showing up. It also reminds me of Ben Zander's suggestion (in The Art of Possibility) to "be a contribution." We can always show up with a generous spirit and the intention to give gifts.
I've been working part-time at Amazon while I'm working on my teaching certification. It's about as close to a factory job as one can get, which is exactly what Seth talks about in Linchpin. But since I've been reading it, I've started to view my role, even in such a limited position, as an opportunity to give gifts. I'm amazed by how such a seemingly small shift in perspective can have a huge effect on my level of self-efficacy and satisfaction in a job that previously felt impersonal and unrewarding.
I've begun to view what could be described as a mundane, manual labor job as a potential privilege, a chance to give gifts. Whether it's making a personal connection with someone through conversation, or with simply thinking about how my actions on the job can serve my coworkers in making their jobs easier.
It's also made me appreciate the value of perspective, of viewing writing or art as a way of sharing or inspiring a new perspective. As John Keating reminds his students in Dead Poets Society, "Words and ideas can change the world." It gives me the courage and motivation to continue to share my own perspective, to view my role as a writer and artist as a privilege, the chance to give gifts, to inspire hope and possibility.
So my question worth asking is: What would happen if you viewed your job, your work--your life--not as a means to an end, or as something to be endured, but instead saw it as an opportunity to give gifts?
What if you viewed every interaction as an opportunity to add value, to encourage, inspire, or make someone's day better? What if you took Ben Zander's approach and evaluated your effectiveness by whether or not you made someone's eyes shine?
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