A Note From The President

Avil Beckford, President

Are you putting yourself out there? This is something that I always struggle with. As an introvert, I put myself out there, in ways that are comfortable to me. I put myself out there through this newsletter, by attending events and by volunteering.

Is that good enough? Is comfortable good enough? I have pushed myself by trying to read broadly and by trying new things. Yet, when I have to put myself out there by attending social events, I hyperventilate. For me, it never seems to get any easier. Recently, I was invited to an after party for "Made in Jamaica," a film screened at the Toronto International Film Festival.

At the party, I spoke briefly with a documentary film director who I've known for a few years. I saw an actress who I know, but I didn't make the effort to say hi. Instead, I chose to stand there feeling like a "fish out of water." I know better, yet I didn't do better. After thirty minutes I escaped to the familiar, my home.

As I write this newsletter, I realized that I have become complacent in getting out. We all have to put ourselves out there. Yes, we have to be selective in what we choose to be involved in, but we shouldn't just choose what's comfortable to us.

I could say that I will make a commitment to attend at least one event each month that I have never attended before, but that would be a stretch. However, a commitment that I will make is over the next 12 months, I will attend four very different events that aren't close to any that I have ever participated in. And, I will even strike up a conversation. How do you put yourself out there? Are you willing to stretch yourselves to the edges of your comfort zones?

Until next time! Avil

P.S. Like this newsletter? Will customize for medium-sized firms that want to distribute it to their staff. Contact me at avil.beckford@ambeck.com and let's talk!

Book Review

A Look At How To Look At Everything by David Finn & The Zen of Photography: How to Take Pictures With Your Mind's Camera by Paul Lester

This month I decided to do something a little different. I like to keep Ambeck Edge fresh. A few years ago I attended a series of photography events hosted by the Toronto Camera Club.

Richard Lautens, a Toronto Star photojournalist led one of the events. Richard suggests that taking the picture is easy, the harder part is setting up the shot. Before you click, click, click, he recommends that you first ask yourself, "What's going on here and how do I feel about it? To me, this means that you remove the dividing line between photographer (or amateur photographer) and subject.

In How To Look At Everything, the author David Finn writes, "The artist Henri Matisse used to tell his students that the inner feeling that they had when looking at something was more important than what they saw literally with their eyes. What was important was to "render the emotion" awakened within them. He urged them to close their eyes and hold the vision, and they would see the object better than with their eyes open."

How can you apply this to your life. Do you stand on the sidelines and watch life go by, or do you fully immerse yourself in life? Are you separate from this world or do you consider yourself to be a part of this world?

Later in the book David asks: "Is your mind focused on other thoughts as you try to get where you're going as fast as possible? When you stand at the corner waiting for a traffic light to change, does your eye wander to see what's happening while you wait, or do you just stare at the sign that reads DON'T WALK, waiting for it to change? Is the time you spend walking in the city a meaningful experience, or is it just a period empty of meaning…"

In The Zen of Photography there are 100 Zen sayings, many of which we can also apply to our lives. I have pulled 10 of the sayings and listed them here as great ideas. I am sure that your 10 sayings would be very different from mine and that's why I encourage you to read the book. I think the best way to absorb the book is to take one saying at a time and reflect on it.

10 Great Ideas

1. The past is a learning memory. The future is a yearning goal. The present is the only moment that exists. You can stretch that moment out forever if you are constantly aware of every now
2. Every person has a story to tell. Every person is looking for a caring spirit that will listen
3. When you begin to care you realize, as you look in a passersby eyes, we have all experienced the same tragedies, triumphs and fits of boredom. We all feel the same emotions. We are all the same person
4. Anything can be practiced. A guitar piece to a positive way of life. Practice is simply concentrating on a single action or idea until it no longer exists in your conscious mind
5. You can only learn when you are ready to listen
6. Technology interferes with the spirit. Machinery suppresses the fun. The mind thwarts the heart
7. Your goal is not to be the best photographer, the best runner, the best musician, the best writer, or the best anything. Your goal, if you really need a goal, is to be yourself
8. You cannot want to be anything. Either you are or you are not. If you are, you are being your natural self and peace will come. If you are not, your ego directs your actions and you will always be disturbed
9. A teacher learns from the student. Who then is the real teacher/student? If the teacher is the student, then we are all students learning from each other
10. Since no one can learn unless ready, the best teacher does not give answers. The best teacher facilitates questions

This tells me that everything is connected, we are all connected, that there is no us against them. We can do better in life, if we stop, listen and experience the moment. There is truth to the adage that we should stop and smell the roses.

September's Book List

The Zen of Photography: How to Take Pictures With Your Mind's Camera, Paul Lester
How To Look At Everything, David Finn

Survey Results

According to a study conducted by Advertising Age in 2005:

• In 2005, American workers spent the equivalent of 2.3 million years' worth of 40-hour workweeks reading nonwork-related blogs while at work
• 35 million workers, about one in four of the U.S labour force, will read blogs and visit blog sites during the year
• On average they will spend 3.5 hours, or 9 per cent, of their working week engaged with them

Another study by America Online and Salary.com concluded that:

• Employers spend nearly $760 billion a year paying employees to goof off on the Web
  

Source: Inc. Magazine, August 2006 | Page: 77, David H. Freedman, "What's Next: Stupid Productivity Tricks" & Management-Issues.com, October 31, 2005, Nic Paton, "Blogs distracting U.S workers from the day job"

How Did They Do That?

Don Middleton, Retiree

Challenge: I worked as a lobbyist for farmers. Once, the people I was lobbying against presented me with an opportunity to become wealthy, to "sell out' the people who employed me, if I took a more lenient stand during negotiations.

Resolution: I was employed to do a job at a fair wage. I refused the opportunity of personal wealth and acted with integrity. Some of the other lobbyists made different choices, which cost them their careers.

Lessons Learned:

1. The high road is always the best road.

What Can Ambeck Do For You:

Ambeck Enterprise provides diverse business research and analysis services to senior executives, through the relevant distillation of diverse facts and data.

Formula for Success

Don Middleton, Retiree

Like what you do and do what you like! I believe this and that's why I have never felt unhappy to go to work. I have always created a demand for my services, which helped me to become successful. Because of my success, I was invited to do things I could learn to like. I have never had to use a Curriculum Vitae (CV) to obtain employment.

In addition, my grandmother taught me three rules to live by:

1. Be honest with yourself
2. Never embarrass your family
3. Do good work in the community so they cannot "throw stones" at you

I have tried to live my life by these rules.

If you do not wish to receive this e-Newsletter, please send an e-mail to postmaster@ambeck.com with unsubscribe written in the subject line.