Erin Albert's Blog

Note to self: some cool stuff to check out:

1. Still trying to figure out my Vixia HF G10.  Pray, people, pray.  (Some part of me should have been a film major.)

2. Twine.  Seriously – I could go insane trying to figure out all the ways this little gadget could be applied to health care.

3. Dan Pink sent us some good stuff today: No brainer stuff like Dropbox (been there, love that).  But stuff I still need to check:

A.  Instapaper – duh, this should be at the top of the list.

B.  IDoneThis – Get ‘R Done!

C.  Type it 4 Me – although – how is this different from Dragon?

D.  Up Band – Uhm, really – how many steps DO I take a day?  Health care, anyone?

Wait.  That’s more than 5.  Oh well….

First, notice that I said “wall” and not “walk.”

Second, I was lamenting (yet again) on Faceplace the other day that to be rejected by email for an opportunity is one thing – but to follow it up with a snail mail is an extra torture that frankly in the electronic age isn’t necessary.  But, with the rejection letter in physical form upon me, is it time to start a mirror to my Wall of Fame in my home office with a “Wall of Shame”?

My Wall of Fame I’ve written about before, as my loyal 13 fans know…but for the rest, it is a wall in my office that I dedicate to stuff that makes me laugh, smile, or feel gratitude for–I have a lot of thank you notes on it.  I love it, because if I need a mental break for a second, I can just stroll by and think of all the happy memories.

Now, back to the Shame Wall.  One of my friends said to start one, then immediately begin target practice on it with darts–polish up one skill with the pain from another.  Friend two said skip it altogether…bad chi.  Another suggested a firepit of shame.  Yet another friend asked if ding letters were good for free cocktails at any establishments in Indy.  (I told this friend that if she finds one, to let me know – I’ll be able to buy everyone a free first round–and maybe a second round….depending upon how many friends show up.)

Dan Pink I caught talking about this in his new book as well.  He mentions there is now a way to send yourself a rejection letter, just to prepare yourself mentally, or if you get a little too big for your britches.  Here’s a site that has several “flavors” of rejection letters, which I think was originally for writers to prepare themselves for the onslaught of rejection letters from publishing houses.

I don’t know if I have a happy ending to this post, other than to ask the questions–Why do I feel weird about rejection?  Shouldn’t I be celebrating it instead?  What am I learning from the process (other than, of course, a healthy dose of humble pie)?  I guess my brain just keeps going back to Thomas Edison and his 10,000 light bulbs.

What do you think?  Should we have more celebration of failure?  SHOULD I start that Wall of Shame? Hmm…..

….3 hours of pharmacy law, and another 3 hours of Torts review for the bar, I’m a little fried.  Welcome back to the spring semester!

But, never let it be said I don’t share with my 13 fans what’s rolling through my head right now.

I’ve been reading Dan Pink’s new book, To Sell Is Human. I will say it – I hate cheesy sales.  On the other hand, I also get Mr. Pink’s point: we’re ALL in sales now – like it or not.

The stickiest part for me thus far is his stuff on “Ed-Med” – the fact that jobs in this sector are completely crushing it when it comes to skyrocketing job opportunities – more than even business and professional services, which kind of blows my mind.  That, and I can answer YES to all 4 questions at the end of chapter two.  Sigh.  That means there’s more work to do.

How do YOU answer the 4 questions at the end of chapter 2 in this book?

Haven’t picked it up yet?  Maybe you should.  (Does that sound like a cheesy sales pitch?  Don’t worry – I’m not making a PENNY off of this post or Mr. Pink’s book.  I just love books.)

To sell goes from cheesy to divine…?  It’s a stretch, but I’ll continue forging through this book…

…AFTER my bar review, of course!

So, how was the first week of your new year?  All resolutions still hanging?  Oh – no – wait.  My awesome readers are SO AWESOME that you probably officially completed all of your goals for the entire new year all in the first week, right?  Now that’s how we roll!

Actually, while it looks like I’ve been slacking on the blog–I really haven’t.  A couple nights ago, I wrote a really controversial blog post.  Probably the hardest post I’ve ever written.  I was kind of a mess by the end of it – and most of you who know me well know that I don’t usually get too messy.  When I tweeted and f-booked the little nugget of the world’s hardest post ever written, everyone was, “Post link, please…” but I promised another writer friend that before I go posting anything epic that I let it sit in the draft ether for awhile.  So, my post is still there.  While I’m sorry I didn’t share it yet, I guess I’m also not sorry too.  I just need to mull it over…

But – other than that – had a splendid first week!  New media out on Plan C from my friends at Inside Indiana Business (and hell YES you can be a professional AND an entrepreneur – word up! LOVE IT!), new reviews in on the book (now from Dan Pink, Tony Hsieh and Dr. Kuratko at IU), an invite to speak out east on social entrepreneurship in health care and life sciences this spring (always a blast) and helping my friends achieve THEIR craziest, biggest dreams and objectives for 2012.  Last but certainly not least, got myself some new ‘quipment for the Office o’ Awesomeness so I can crank out even more good stuff for the universe in 2012 and beyond!

WHAT MORE could a girl ask for in her first week of a brand new year?  I really can’t think of anything else.  Except maybe a little more time.  I always feel like time is my biggest enemy.  Fleeting.  Ephemeral.  And I’m STILL waiting on that Erin Splitter to show up in the mail.  Post office must be sitting on that one, since it, too, would be epic!

Hope your first week rocked too, my friends!!! MWAH!

Big time reviews out this week and recently on the new book!  Thanks to:

Dan Pink – his blog has a good review of 14 points of advice from our SWEs.

Adriana Gardella – reporter/blogger at the NY Times – her review of several new books on entrepreneurship!

And the classic from Jeff Cornwall - blogger/professor at the Entrepreneurial Mind.

Congrats to the women and their businesses in the book!

Enjoy the post over at Yuspie.com today – and Go. Dawgs!!!!!!

So, I’ve blogged about this one before – but never in paperback.

Dan Pink’s latest book all about the power of intrinsic motivation, Drive, is now out in paperback, with enhanced material, and lower priced! I think everyone on the planet who is trying to figure out who they are, why they are here, AND everyone with kids struggling to figure out the same thing should read this book.  Here’s why.

Intrinsic motivation is what sets the exceptional apart from the herd.  The IMs do stuff because they WANT or feel they NEED to do it, rather than getting some carrot/stick for doing it.  That is an AWESOME, mad skill power that from what I’ve seen is truly unstoppable.

I see college students each and every day that say they want a certain major or to study harder or to be in a certain program, but honestly, those who have the fire within them are the ones who make it through.  The students who are worried about the absolute minimum to get by, or who nitpick at details, rather than looking at the big academic picture and keep on motivating themselves to move ahead are those who succeed professionally in the long term.

If you don’t know what drives you, get this book.  Because, as I’ve ranted on this blog here before, we are all here for a reason.  Finding out why and for what reason is tough work.  But, our intrinsic motivation can be the force that gets us to that calling or higher purpose – and honestly, what could possibly be more important than that?

I along with 1100 other Indy people had the chance to hear Daniel Pink speak at Butler tonight.  Awesome, as I was certain he would be.  However, the thing that stuck the most with me was a quote from a study/research he shared.  (I’m probably going to butcher the facts, as it has been a long day, but hopefully not the bottom line…)  In this study, they took ‘rock stars’ or the best and brightest at work from several different workplaces and gave them a battery of tests–IQ, other stuff, etc. to see what was the differentiating factor between rock stars and everyone else.  There was only one correlate among rock stars, and it wasn’t IQ.  It was this:  the ability to see the big picture and to view the future.  The ability to see the proverbial “forrest” through the trees was the key to rock star status (in this particular study).  So, big picture thinkers, listen up:  you have a huge opportunity to become rock stars!  

Yes, of course we need people who are detail oriented (not saying one is good and the other is bad), I’m merely saying that the ability to take a step back and look at the big picture is a GREAT quality to have…so own it if you have it!  And if you don’t, fear not, there is time to sharpen your skills and go forrest hunting.