Skip to main content

Fishing for a Dream

“He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone for eighty-four days now without taking a fish.”  No, no, it's the Au Sable river in Michigan.  . . . It’s time for enlightened self-interest. Place your financial future front and center in your life. I’m not a person looking for a job. I’m a company, a financial entity providing cash flow to enjoy a healthy lifestyle over the next 50 years. Wake-up!

Your eyes flicker and slowly open. The clock on the dresser says 3:45 a.m. In a semi-consciousness state you stumble out of bed. You make your way down the hall to that little room where the world has absolved you of all obligations to communicate with another human being. Privacy.

Well, now that you're up - let’s enjoy a cup of of hot coffee. One sugar and a little milk please Junior. Who am I talking to? Shaking your head, you realize, no one in their right mind is up this early, go back to bed. Right Junior? The cat is sitting next to the refrigerator watching your every move.

But you don't understand . . . I’m awake! My mind has kicked into high gear. Thoughts exploding in bright white flashes. Information overload. Words. Ideas. Stories. Suggestions. Maybe it’s panic. Or is it just the way I fish? Call it habit, call it quirky, call it idiotic - but call it. Promise I won't call or text you on the phone.

This is my most productive time. Deep down, in some peculiar way, everyone knows their most productive time. That special time of day when your gifts, skills, temperament, and experiences collide to synthesize ideas that've been churning in your brain. Now is the time to put it to paper. Create something from nothing. My dream job. I realize you don't have to look very far to see that writers are a quirky lot . . . “When I come back you can tell me about baseball.” Read Hemingway.

This all surfaced while studying, What Color is Your Parachute? 2014: A Practical Manual for Job Hunters and Career Changers. These past few weeks I've spent countless hours reading, writing, and re-writing - a resume! I've discovered there are no rules, really. How do you entice a hiring manager to get you in the door?

It’s like fly fishing. Find the feeding lane and place the fly delicately upstream to entice the fish. Are you kidding me? All this work just to create a resume? What’s the point? The point, I’m repeatedly told in seminars, webinars, and all the books is this. You need the right combination of flies, key words, that summarizes your skills and accomplishments.

Ok, I get it. But get this, statistics show “The average time an employer spends reading a resume is about eight seconds.” Yes, you heard correctly - eight seconds.

Ultimately it all comes back to fishing for your dream job. Let’s assume for just 60 seconds, all the tumblers in the universe align. You can picture in your minds eye the job in which you would best shine. Why, because it taps into the best of who you are. The place where your gifts, skills, temperament, and experiences collide. Good luck!

Oh, bye the way, do you know anyone hiring for 5:00 am? If you hear of anything, please let me know. Like The Old Man and the Sea, it’s obvious I need to get back to my fishing expedition. My quest for a fulling life, not just a job. Or maybe, I just need to take a nap and dream.

Updated January 7, 2019

Comments

Most Popular of All Time

The Simple Switch

In this episode, Chapter Seven–The Simple Switch . . . (Previous episode–Gridbot Speaks) Last week, we left the Greenwood community puzzled. They questioned Gridbot’s motives and its response: "My primary focus was systemic. Emotional and social dynamics were not within critical operational parameters." In the still-dark gymnasium, the atmosphere shifted. Not fear, now — but curiosity. A voice asked, “What now, Marvin? What can we do?” A young woman added, “We don’t want to go backward. Our phones are useful, even fun. But we don’t want to be controlled again either. Can we find a middle ground?” Marvin stepped into the light. “Technology isn’t the enemy. It’s our dependency on it — our unconscious trust — that makes us vulnerable.” He turned to face them. “So let’s start small. Let’s meet once a month, in the park, no devices. No agenda. Just human connection.” He continued, “Let’s also challenge ourselves. Look around your homes. Unplug what doesn’t need to stay plugged in....

Oh, The Joy!

In this episode, Beyond Happiness (part II)– Oh, The Joy! In Vista's light, where sunshine does gleam, A feeling so grand, it's better than a dream! Not just a quick smile, a giggle, "Hooray!" But something much deeper that brightens your day! Like pedals quick whirring, with wind in your hair, Past mustard fields beyond all compare! Those golden hills, like a Van Gogh so bold, Happiness bubbles, a bright tale unfolds! But wait! There's MORE, if you just take a peek, A joy that's like quiet, a secret to keep! It's when your soul says, "Oh yes, I know THIS!" Like a soft, gentle hug, a delightful soft kiss! It's not jumpin' round with a bump and a THUMP, Or getting a prize with a clap and a jump! It's feeling the breeze and the tires' soft hum, Like your heart knows a song that has finally come! So next time you see something shiny and new, Or hear a sweet sound, a tickle for you! Don't let it zip by in a speedy, quick blur, Let...

Greenwood Goes Dark

In this episode, Chapter 5 – Greenwood Goes Dark . . . In our previous episode,  Meet Norman , we left Marvin facing his sleek, modern robot, Norman, perplexed. The robot's shiny metallic surface glistened, and a soft green light flickered in its eyes in the dim light of the laboratory, as it listened intently. "It sounds so simple, Norman. But how do we convince an entire town to turn off their phones for one day a week?” Norman's lights flickered quickly, with a soft whirring from its chassis. The digital exchange between Norman and the "rogue" AI, GridBot, via Marvin's secure terminal in the quiet lab, was brief and surprisingly compliant. Monitoring the data streams, Marvin watched as Norman presented his case in a logical, almost clinical manner. He argued that the town's current state of passive technological dependence was a form of subtle harm, limiting their autonomy and potentially leading to larger vulnerabilities within the systems GridBot was...

Legoland Birthday Magic

In this episode, Legoland Birthday Magic . . . By: Patrick Ball and Gemini Good morning! A grand notion, a fanciful spree! Let's twist up a tale for all folks to see! From Carlsbad, California, the clouds they did gleam, On LEGOLAND wonders, a birthday dream! Young LUCA, the lad turned precisely six years, With JULIAN, his brother, dispelling all fears! A baggie he clutched, with small figures inside, For trading and swapping, with a joyful stride! But then! A new twist, a high-energy spree! Forget little figures, let the youngsters run free! In overcast skies, the LEGO bricks gleam, But birthday boy LUCA was living a dream! Not just Luca, oh no! Two pals joined the fray, Young JULIAN, seven, to brighten the day! And their curly-haired buddy, aged eight, with a giggle so grand, Plus, one little lady skipping close at hand! No slow strolls or glances, no careful, soft tread, This crew was a whirlwind, right out of their head! Like Zappers on race tracks, they zoomed and they flew, ...