INFLUENCE EXTENDS BEYOND DIRECT CONTACT
“Like riding a bicycle,” my coach says as I pick up pen to write a blog that has lain dormant since the first quarter of last year. He may be correct, but you and I will have to make that judgment when we get to the end of the page. Last spring I published my second book, a non-fiction work targeted at helping people put together a good career beginning with Day One, their first day on a new job. I focused on getting their head right before they launched their career, then discussed getting a job, getting good at it, building a network, and several other points that would help anybody. As I initiated my program to sell the book, life intervened. My doctors informed me that I needed a minor medical procedure involving my heart—but combining the terms minor and medical when it’s MY heart we’re talking about is an oxymoron. So, on April 14th I underwent the minor procedure. All went well, but along the way they found a congenital condition that needed repair—this one was major. That surgery took place on June 14th and was followed by a three month recovery before I could put away some of the medications and another three months to ramp up my energy level to withstand life’s normal challenges. But I’m doing well as I now sit down to write. Now, back to the book. “Crafting a Successful Career” taught a student to engage successfully in a real world job. What surprised me is that the lessons geared toward employment actually helped me to cope with my new situation. I had to redefine success—survive and be able to do certain things. Then I had to take steps to reengage, rely on people who had been there before (mentors), build my network of encouraging people, and proceed with my life just like I would have to do in a new job. A further application of the principles came in November when a friend of mine had to deal with an addiction issue and found himself facing a month-long rehabilitation program. He read Crafting a Successful Career and used the principles to prepare for what he’d face in recovery. He has since completed the rehabilitation and has initiated the early stages of a 12-step program. His conclusion, “Your concept works even here.” So I wrote a book to help people new to the work force, but found out that the lessons apply to more situations than I could imagine. Maybe some of the principles of “Crafting a Successful Career” apply to you and your current challenge. To that I can only say, “Stop by for a visit. You might decide to stay!” Well, writing is not at all like riding a bicycle, but it sure is fun to get back to the keyboard. My lesson learned in this exercise: Just remember that your span of influence exceeds your line of sight. What you do really does have far broader impact than you can imagine. At least, that’s how I see it. Just a thought.
