Are You Busy?

To say that Americans are busy would be putting it mildly.  Look no further than the average corporate soldier for proof.  He/She has a Blackberry full of meetings, outings, dinners, off-sites and much more.  They may be "well titled" or have no title to speak of, but you can bet their running hard.

Now here’s the million dollar question; Are they making a difference?  By that I mean, are they really accomplishing anything that will have some impact after they’ve left the organization?  Is it just a flurry of activity that someone else will take over when they’re released or retired?

Most people are not leaving a mark.  They’ve substituted activity for true results that matter…is it any wonder why happiness has eluded them.  Why are these folks unhappy?  I think it has to with a part of the human core that knows they don’t have forever to leave a brilliant light behind (thank you Bernie Taupin).  Why do all the meetings if nothing of significance is produced?

So what do you do if you find yourself in a predicament like the above?  Here are some suggestions:

  • Listen to this Seth Godin Podcast around his new book.
  • Read the comments from Anon on Penelope Trunk’s Blog).
  • Ask yourself what’s holding you back from doing what you want.
  • If you’re married DO NOT follow your dream without your spouse.
  • Any organization that’s better at meetings than producing dynamic products/service, is a company to be avoided.

2 Comments

  1. In general, there are few people who understand the concept of incentives and measured performance. I absolutely detest absent-minded activities, give me performance.
    I am of the believer of the doctrine that people engaging a-m activities are seeking to bury their problems rather than confront and resolve the issues.
    The problem is that the majority of our labor force works on a time-incentivized compensation structure that rewards them for hours “worked.”
    -Daniel

  2. You wrote:
    I think it has to with a part of the human core that knows they don’t have forever to leave a brilliant light behind (thank you Bernie Taupin).
    Could you provide more info about which Taupin lyrics you are referring to?

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