Kareem Mayan's Weblog

Are you reaching your potential? via maneesh

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:19:06 -0800

Are you reaching your potential?

via maneesh

likesbears:

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:04:25 -0800

likesbears:

Cops in Copenhagen (via Alexander)

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:03:35 -0800

Cops in Copenhagen (via Alexander)

"And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it."

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:26:48 -0800

“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”

- -Paulo Coelho

via rachellehruska

===

I believe this sentiment wholeheartedly.

The key is to let the universe know your wants

(via msg)

This is sounding dangerously like The Secret. Ya know … I’m not sayin’ … I’m just sayin’
(via tedr) The key, fellas, is actually *knowing* what you want first.

"One suicide victim who committed suicide by jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge left behind a note..."

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:18:33 -0800

““One suicide victim who committed suicide by jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge left behind a note saying: ‘I’m going to walk to the bridge. If one person smiles at me on the way, I will not jump.’””

- Anonymous (via thechocolatebrigade) (via obscene-odes) (via chartreuse)
Smile at more people.

"It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might..."

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:07:00 -0800

““It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all - in which case, you fail by default.””

- J.K. Rowling (via kari-shma) (via hiten)

If you want your company to be innovative, using carrot and stick incentives aren't going to work

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:02:18 -0800

If you want your company to be innovative, using carrot and stick incentives aren't going to work:

tedr:

hiten:

n8:

Dan Pink, previously Al Gore’s speechwriter, displays evidence found that when doing innovative tasks, using monetary incentives actually has a detrimental effect in getting the task accomplished….

Yeah, this stuff is all the rage. 20% time, project equity, speaker touring … but people still leave Google. I wonder if anyone that is an A-player will stay anywhere for more than 6 years.

Actually, this stuff is quite old. Alfie Kohn wrote a book about it over 10 years ago. Now that good people have more choice than ever about who to work with, companies are forced to pay attention to whether carrots and sticks are an effective way to motivate their people.

digital nomad (via reemer)

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:51:34 -0800

digital nomad (via reemer)

"Everything I have learned that has been really useful has been by doing things."

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:13:46 -0700

“Everything I have learned that has been really useful has been by doing things.”

- Paul Buchheit at Startup School 09 (via hiten)

"It’s a beautiful pain when all you wish is to make someone happy. It is up to each of us alone to be..."

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:48:22 -0700

“It’s a beautiful pain when all you wish is to make someone happy. It is up to each of us alone to be happy in and of ourselves.”

- @ang [Angela Baxley] (via msg)

"Life is a ticket to the greatest show on earth."

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:46:08 -0700

“Life is a ticket to the greatest show on earth.”

- Martin H. Fischer via

"A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain..."

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 06:11:20 -0700

“A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes.”

- Hugh Downs (via julie911) (via quote-book) (via hiten)

"No man is a success in business unless he loves his work."

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 02:01:52 -0700

“No man is a success in business unless he loves his work.”

- Florence Scovel Shinn (via quote-book) (via hiten)

"How will you know if it’s the right decision if you never do it?"

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 01:47:16 -0700

“How will you know if it’s the right decision if you never do it?”

- The Hills (via eletheowl) (via hiten)

"A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing..."

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 06:30:36 -0700

“A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.”

- George Bernard Shaw

"It is better to be hated for what you are than loved for what you are not."

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:24:19 -0700

““It is better to be hated for what you are than loved for what you are not.””

- André Gide (via shinejuly) (via quote-book) (via hiten)

"Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well."

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 01:02:46 -0700

“Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well.”

- Josh Billings (via kari-shma) (via hiten)

"The greatest good you can do for another is not just share your riches, but to reveal to him his..."

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 07:09:10 -0700

“The greatest good you can do for another is not just share your riches, but to reveal to him his own.”

- Benjamin Disraeli (thx, Julie O!)

Do You Deserve To Have a Life Purpose?

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:51:00 -0700

Originally posted Sept 23 to the Find Your Life Purpose newsletter.

—-

I’ve gotten amazing responses from both friends and strangers since finding my life purpose.

But a few have focused on the negatives. I’ve gotten responses like:

“It’s a luxury.”

“You’re indulgent.”

“Who are you to have a ‘life purpose’?! Put your head down and do your job.”

To this, I said: true, BS, and BS (pardon my abbreviated french).

Having a purpose is a luxury? So? Does that mean you shouldn’t go find yours?

You are alive at the best time in the history of the world. Never has there been such world-wide peace and prosperity.

You likely won’t wonder where your next meal will come from. You have a roof over your head. And there are probably a hundred joints to eat good food at nearby, and lots of places to meet new people who won’t hate you or try to kill you based on your religion, skin color, or other factors you can’t control.

In short: you are free. Free to pursue the work you choose.

You were more likely to be born in India or China (35% chance) than in a G8 country (15%). Living in a G8 country provides a much higher standard of living unless you’re one of the lucky few in China or India, never mind other less-industrialized countries. You’ve beaten the odds already.

So why the heck would you waste your lottery ticket doing something you don’t love doing?

Why *wouldn’t* you figure out what you’re here to do? That thing that resonates so deeply that your heart sings when you think about doing it?

Life is too short to squander the amazing opportunity you have to live a meaningful life. You only get one go-‘round, so make it count.

What about those who say you’re indulgent?

The only thing you’re indulging in is to use the beautiful opportunity you’ve got to live up to your full potential.

People who aren’t as lucky as you have gone through hell and back to give themselves (or their children, or even grandchildren) the opportunity that you have. It would be indulgent of you *not* to use this opportunity to live your life with meaning.

And those who ask who you are to have a life purpose?

They’re probably applying their different definition of “meaning” to your life.

Perhaps they grew up with different opportunities at hand, and don’t understand why you don’t want to put your head down and work away like they did.

Or perhaps they did have your opportunities, but squandered them, too scared to follow their true calling.

Whatever it is, brush ‘em off. It may be difficult, but I guarantee you they go to bed worrying about their own problems, not yours.

The next time someone pooh-poohs your search for a life purpose, their words will slide off you like water off a duck’s back.

In short, with the opportunity you’ve been given, who are you NOT to have a life purpose?

—-

Enjoy this? Receive 2-3 monthly emails on Finding Your Life Purpose when you sign up for the Find Your Life Purpose newsletter.

“What you do for a living is not be creative. What you do...

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:03:00 -0700

“What you do for a living is not be creative. What you do is ship.”

Classic Godin. Seth Godin: Quieting the Lizard Brain on Vimeo