The M.A.P. Maker

Word-paint your self-portrait for an energized life

My Passion Catalyst work is about helping people manage the Gain to Drain Ratio in their lives - bringing more of what gives them energy into the picture and jettisoning what drains them. It's all based on my definition of passion: The energy that comes from bringing more of YOU into what you do.

With that in mind, I loved what Howard Behar (former President of Starbucks International and Starbucks North America, and author of the book, "It's Not About the Coffee") had to say when I interviewed him for the most recent M.A.P. Maker Podcast. Behar's description of bringing more of you into what you do is "one-hat living." 

One-hat living is being totally in synch with who you are as a human being...what are your values? What matters to you? How do you want to live your life?

And you’ve got to write those things down, because if you don’t, then it’s just talk. And they’re not written in stone just because you write them down, but it’s kind of like painting a picture of yourself in words.

When you put all these words together and they paint a picture of yourself, then you should be looking for things to do, places to work, wherever you’re going to live your life, your significant other in your life, that fit with that.

Because that’s how you’re going to have a happy, productive life. If you’re constantly in conflict with your values and how you live your life, where they don’t match with each other, it’s a recipe for disaster in life. You will see problems, and you will have problems, and you will be unhappy.

I love the idea of painting a word-picture of yourself. If you don't have the clarity about who you really are - not just a vague sense of "I know it when I see it," but a really solid understanding of what makes you tick - it's next to impossible to consciously bring more of that into the picture.

You can start painting your own word-picture right now by asking yourself some questions...

• What do I already know I want in my career?
• What do I love doing? Why? (Don't limit yourself to career-related activities - you're interested in the underlying reasons why you love it, not the activity itself.)
• What do I care about?
• When am I at my best?

The more you know about yourself, the more you fuel you have for creating an energizing, inspiring future.

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Podcast - Howard Behar: Former President, Starbucks Coffee Company / Author: It's Not About the Coffee

I recently had the good fortune to spend some time with Howard Behar, former President of Starbucks International and Starbucks North America, and author of a new book called, "It's Not About the Coffee: Leadership Principles from a Life at Starbucks."

In the resulting podcast, Behar talks about a wide range of things, from how he first discovered the value of living an authentic life, to how that authenticity contributes to both happiness and success, to the importance to him of making a difference.

Zip on over to my M.A.P. Maker Podcast and hear what he has to say.

 

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Curt Rosengren, Passion Catalyst ^TM

Career change: 97 job search tips

Self-discovery and dreaming the dream play an important role in M.A.P. Making, but without the steps to actually turn that dream into reality, it doesn't amount to much.

Often when people talk about pursuing their passion and finding work that feels meaningful, they're talking about changing careers. For some, that means self-employment or starting their own business. For others it means they have a job search in their future.

For the latter group, this site with 97 job search tips is a treasure trove of ideas and insights from a recruiter. It's the first draft of what he ultimately intends to turn into a book.

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Curt Rosengren, Passion Catalyst ^TM

What difference can you make today? Tomorrow?

One of the driving forces behind what I do, a concept that inspires me to no end, is the degree to which each of us has the potential to make a positive impact on the world around us.

Professionally, I happen to be focused on the choices that people make in their careers. My work involves helping people create careers where the work itself energizes them and the difference they're making with that work inspires them.

But that's just one slice of the pie when it comes to the potential for making a difference with our lives. Every day we're presented with countless opportunities to leave the world a little better than we found it. While some of them are big and dramatic, most of them are smaller and subtler.

You've no doubt heard the idea, "What you focus on grows." What if you focused on the question, "What kind of impact am I having?" What if every day you asked yourself that question, and went out of your way to make sure you had an answer?

That's what the folks who write The Impact Blog are doing (or at least they were before their posting activity dwindled). While many of the posts read a little bit like, "Dear Diary, today I...", I love the idea behind it.

I love the idea of shining a spotlight each and every day on the positive ripples we're able to make. I love the way that could raise our awareness, and get our minds in the habit of looking for opportunities, big and small, to make a positive impact. 

Most of all, I love the idea of the cumulative potential of a whole bucketload of people getting into that habit.

Like the idea? Why not start right now? Do a quick scan of your day. Have you made a difference? Have you helped someone, even in a small way? Have you smiled at someone when they looked like they needed it? Have you given someone words of encouragement, or shared your insights or advice?

How about tomorrow? While you get ready in the morning, why not plant the idea in your head that, "I'm going to look for ways to make a positive impact." Maybe you'll actually do all of them, maybe you won't. But the more you habitually notice opportunities, the more potential there is for you to follow up on them.

And the more potential there is for the world to become just a little bit better because you live in it.

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Curt Rosengren, Passion Catalyst ^TM

Adapting to Change

Ask anyone who is on the wrong path in their career, and they'll probably tell you they would welcome a change to a career they love. Ask them how they feel about actually making that change, and most likely the response won't be quite so glowing.

In my work, one of the most common obstacles I have encountered is the fear and uncertainty that so often goes along with the idea of making a wholesale change.

With that in mind, I'm always interested in resources to help people through that process. I recently ran across an pdf version of a short booklet from Axzo Press called Adapting to Change. They also put out this workbook on managing personal change.

Whether a career change is looming in your life, or you simply want to find a way to thrive in the ever-changing pace of the world we live in, the books have some great food for thought.

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Curt Rosengren, Passion Catalyst ^TM

The Secret of Fearless Living

What would your life be like if you weren't limited by fear? Guy Finley wants to help you find out.

Finley's new book, "The Essential Laws of Fearless Living" is being released today in 142 countries simultaneously. As part of the launch, he is offering 108 free gifts (including my e-book, "The Five Fundamentals of Occupational Adventure") if you go to this site and buy the book via Amazon.

Here's a nutshell picture of what the book is about...

The Essential Laws of Fearless Living is a step-by-step guide to realizing your ultimate potential as a human being.

Each of its 40 concise sections reveals a fundamental secret of our living Universe, and contains a simple practical technique to help you harness its power to make lasting changes in your life.             

Check it out. It might just be the missing puzzle piece you need.

Enjoy!