"I Beat People Up"

"It's just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up." - Muhammad Ali

Hey, that's my job, too, although my younger sister would disagree with who was beating up whom when we were kids.

I admire Ali, however, this whole "it's just a job" mindset bothers me. It's not "just a job." If it was "just a job," why do so many of us put so much effort into it? What would that say about the relationships we build while at our jobs? Are they just acquaintances that serve one purpose and that is all we care about? Of course not.

These are all questions that demonstrate it isn't "just a job." Our performance at our jobs reflect on who we are as people. The way we approach our job, the care and effort we put toward our job, the friendships we build while at our job all show that it isn't just at a job. I am thankful that I have never thought of what I have the opportunity to do every day as "just a job".

We may never know how what we do every day affects other people or who it all affects, but I think we can all agree that the way we go about our work affects more than just us. Try telling people today how their job affects yours. Let them know that you appreciate that it isn't "just a job" to them, because it makes your life easier. Why not let them know, and make their day better too?

- Matt Hoying

Problem Solving

"We all have problems. The way we solve them is what makes us different." -Unknown

Some people see themselves as victims of their circumstances; others take responsibility for creating their circumstances. Some people complain about everything that's wrong; others discuss solutions to make things right. That being said, letting your life become all about your problems is a surefire path to unhappiness.

When a problem arises on a construction site, there are people who complain that everything is wrong and point fingers, making everyone involved uncomfortable. Others notice a problem and work together to find a solution that works for everyone.

We will always have problems, always with uncertainty about finding solutions. Once you've done what you can do on any given day, let go of your need to worry and commiserate; that won't fix anything any faster.

What kind of person will you be today?

- Tony Schroeder

Fear of Mistakes

"The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one." -Elbert Hubbard

Too often I find myself not taking a chance because I fear what negative repercussions it will have. This kind of fear can be paralyzing and leads us to never advance. We may worry what outcome a chance will have on our life personally, professionally, socially or even privately.

This kind of fear may stop us from getting a promotion, meeting new people, or doing our own rendition of "Don't Stop Believing" at karaoke Thursday night.

There aren't too many things I am socially hesitant of, but striking up a conversation with a complete stranger can sometimes be intimidating. I usually fear feeling awkward, being rejected, or getting into a conversation that I feel is over my head. However, I can usually settle my nerves and confidently start talking. And most of the time? The complete stranger appreciates my willingness to reach out.

Believe in yourself and you might be surprised who else will then believe in you, too.

- Brittany Clinehens

Slumping?

"So many ideas come to you when you're slumping, that you want to try them all, but you can't. You're like a mosquito in a nudist camp. You don't know where to start." - Reggie Jackson

Wouldn't that be nice... to have a mosquito not know where to start, I mean.

For many of us, summer not only brings the heat and mosquitoes, but also brings lots to do: outdoor projects, construction season, more daylight to squeeze in more activities. Things start to pile up on desks, in voicemails, and in email inboxes to the point we feel overwhelmed, often because we don't know where to start. When this happens, it's easy to think the best way out is to do only what is needed to get the job off our desk and out of our hands; never mind that in doing so, we didn't do our best work.

But rather than sacrifice accuracy and quality (and possibly clients), take a moment and take a deep breath. You will be amazed at what you can do when you are relaxed and have a clear mind.

For instance, the last several weeks have left me feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, and easily agitated. When I feel like I am in over my head, I dread coming into work in the morning to face the mound of work on my desk. If I am proactive, however, I catch myself before I get too deep into this state, calm myself down, and start chipping away at my task list. The next morning, I am back to enjoying my job and waking up is much easier.

If I don't catch myself, my coworkers let me know by not coming around my desk or greeting me in the hallway. You see, when I get in a slump at work, not only do I restrict my own enjoyment, but I also deny my coworkers/clients/anyone else I may talk to that day of their enjoyment, too.

I am going to make a much greater effort to enjoy my own work environment so those around me can enjoy theirs too. What about you? I think I'll pass on the nudist camp...

- Matt Hoying

Being Honest

"An honest answer is the sign of true friendship." -Proverb

Maybe someone asks, "How are you?" and, instinctively, you say, "Fine." Or someone asks, "What's new?" and you automatically respond, "Not much." Or someone asks your opinion, and you gloss over what you really think to avoid making waves.

I suspect we do this because we don't want to burden people with what's really on our minds, open ourselves up to judgment, or somehow upset them.

This happens to me with all kinds of people I come into contact with, from fellow employees to clients.

It can be scary to speak what's really on your mind, particularly if you need some guidance and feel vulnerable admitting that you don't have everything figured out. The truth is, no one does. Sometimes we all need to lean on each other--and that only works if we're all willing to be honest.

We do have many clients that I am not afraid to be honest with and I guess that comfort level is a sign of true friendship. I have one client in mind that is an engineer (you know, a geek) and we are very honest with each other; we let each other know when we are getting too detailed and make fun of each other for it. In these cases I think an honest answer is a sign of true friendship.

How could your world be better if you were more honest, both with yourself and with others?

~Tony Schroeder