Last week while I went for a run, I was inspired to create a few dashes on how success is a lot like running in Manhattan. It was close to dusk when I left my apartment near 45th and 2nd Avenue and I set a goal to make it across to the other side of NYC. Using the sun setting as my timer, I really pushed myself to keep a certain pace.
As I arrived to the furthest point I could go, out of breath I just stood and stared at the horizon. Already inspired by so many racing concepts about innovation and success, I was amazed to see that I ended at the Intrepid Sea Air Space Museum.
There, along the horizon were ships created for the sea and the sky. Ideas and visions designed to allow travel from one place to another.
Innovation.
Disruption.
Change.
Let’s go.
Remember though. We must walk before we can run. And, we must run before we can fly.
Go. Fly.
Today’s Digital Dash is the final post in the series titled Success in Today’s Marketplace is Like Running In Manhattan. Additional posts
Want to see more dashes from this series? Check out:
Let your goals guide you through the noise >
What can running and a bike share program teach us about success in today’s marketplace?
Spoiler alert: Success today cannot come from a linear, monogamous career and fixed mindset. The world, economy and job market has changed. Want to keep up? Find professionals who cross train to stay “fit”… Interested? Read on…
Have you seen New York City’s new bike share program? Everywhere you run throughout Manhattan you see bike racks like shown on today’s Digital Dash. You can swipe a credit card, borrow a bike, then park it wherever you want when you are done. A city-wide bike share program is a sign of the times.
We are living in a shared economy, a collaborative society where we are creating, consuming and sharing. Like NYC’s new bike share program, collaboration of products and ideas are creating new trends from cowork spaces, crowd sourcing and car-sharing. For more details, check out a recent report on corporations and the collaborative economy by Jeremiah Owyang.
This is different from the earlier days when consumption was more monogamous. Here are some examples:
- One person owns one bike. Most of the time the bike is in storage, unused.
- One person works at a 200 square foot cubicle workspace.
- One person responsible to create, execute and monetize one idea.
- One person travels by one car.
The culture of a one-person-ownership requires a lot of time, space and material that leads to an increase of waste and depreciated value.
Keeping with this linear thinking, remember when one person had one job throughout their career?
For some of the similar reasons that are causing this new shared economy, the job market is also seeing significant shifts. Many of the jobs that the class of 2013 will have, don’t even exist yet. And, by 2020, over 40% of the workforce will be considered freelancers or independent professionals.
An independent professional is like a bike in this bike share program. When you consider the miles explored by one of these bikes compared to that one-owner bike that spent most of its time in storage, the shared bike has much more rich, diverse experience.
In the midst of a career transition, I want to share all of the knowledge and expertise I have gained from the past decade as an independent professional. The word on the streets: companies are seeking professionals with a diverse skill set especially in social marketing.
Today’s jobs require talent to understand a wide range of areas from finance, sales, analytics, marketing, management and more. Candidates must demonstrate they are leaders, creative, problem-solving and can communicate clearly while having good judgement. Does this sound like skills developed from one company, or from a career track that has required shapeshifting superpowers to survive and thrive?
If you are seeking talent in today’s job market, consider the extra miles that candidates who have been independent professionals have to offer as an added value. In addition to the extra experience they can bring, they also have learned to be nimble, fast and effective. And, in today’s marketplace, your company will need people just like this to keep up.
You may think you want a pitcher or a goalie for your team. A person who has played on one team in one sport for a long time. But, remember in today’s marketplace, the game has changed.
What you really need is an athlete, a cross trainer, fit to run, jump and kick to score at an exponential rate of change.
Hire a runner. If she also bikes, that’s added value. And, if she also kick boxes, then you better give her a signing bonus yo.
Success today. It’s like running AND biking for the win.
Now go win… and be dashing.
Today’s social visual content is part of a series called: Success in today’s marketplace is like running in Manhattan. Want to see more dashes from this series? Check out:
Let your goals guide you through the noise >
Don’t let the crowds slow you down >
If you like any of the dashes, be a dear and pass them on, won’t you? Thank you.
Success in today’s noisy, tech-driven world is a lot like running in Manhattan.
Let your goals guide you through the noise.
Just like a road map, your goals can help you move forward and cut through all of the distractions. Need a refresher on how to do this? Here you go:
1. Set a goal, with details and a deadline.
I will go running on 45th Street, from 2nd to 12th Avenue today, before the sun sets.
2. Be faithful to yourself and follow through.
No matter what, fulfill your own goals. You owe it to yourself and you have no one else to blame if it doesn’t happen. Don’t take no for an answer. Stay on task.
Too busy with meetings or deadlines? Feeling too tired or stressed out? Oh well, you owe this to yourself. Keep your eye on the goals. When you set goals and follow through, you become more productive and develop a sense of confidence and achievement.
That goal I set about running on 45th Street? That jaunt inspired this series as I pushed myself to make it to 12th Avenue before the sunset. There were so many roadblocks that slowed me down, like the stoplights, the crowds. Then, there was Times Square! People by the masses and screens blinking as if they are screaming at me didn’t slow me down. What helped me was when I could aim my gaze to that horizon and watch the setting sun. It kept me going. It coached me through and helped me to kick up the pace and not get distracted.
When you are reaching towards success and big screens with fancy colors and promises, keep your eye on the goal. Follow through. Only you can make your own success happen.
Running a business.
Increasing sales.
Launching a new practice.
Managing a project.
Searching for a new job.
Running in Manhattan.
No go for the gold. Go. Dash on.
Digital Dash is social, visual content for people like us, people on the go. Today’s dash was part of the series titled: Success in today’s marketplace is like running in Manhattan. It’s a series designed to inspire you. Need some tasty inspiration? See additional dashes in this series, like:
Don’t Let the Crowd Slow You Down.
And, see how you get future Digital Dash content while it’s hot and fresh.
