anne hubben, creative career coach         anne@rubycreatives.com 917.834.0354

do it anyway

Monday, July 19th, 2010
 

“Practice is the best of all instructors.”

- Publilius Syrus (Roman author, 1st Century BC)

I’m very familiar with the importance of a daily practice in order to get good at anything.  In a perfect world, I would have a daily meditation, yoga, writing + piano practice. Yet, it’s not a perfect world and I resist all of it. I like to think that the struggle is in itself a practice.

We’re not perfect. Even if we did what we’re supposed to do every day, we would not be perfect. We make progress though. Progress can be very satisfying.  I’ve just had that feeling after having practiced piano 4 days in a row. I’ve realized that I’m getting better at a couple of songs that stumped me last week.

When I started piano it came to me easily and I practiced diligently.  I moved through the first few books + enjoyed it tremendously.  Then I reached a book that was harder + it didn’t come quite so easily. Suddenly I didn’t like practicing as much.  Now there was work involved.

For the last couple of weeks, after a lesson I avoided the piano for the first few days feeling that I needed a break. After all, the next lesson would be a week away, I would have plenty of time to get up to speed.  But, I didn’t get up to speed. By the time my lesson rolled around, I would have practiced for 4 days, but it wasn’t enough. I went in to class feeling sheepish + awkward. How old am I? 12? I’m paying for my own lessons. Why would I do that?  So, I fessed up to my teacher + he gave it to me straight, “you have to practice on the day of our lesson so this stuff sinks in or you won’t progress as you should.”   That’s all I needed to hear.  The jig was up. I have to practice. I’m not a prodigy. Although even they need to practice.

It is satisfying to see my progress after doing what he suggested.  I’m amused by my resistance to something that I’m doing by choice because I enjoy it.  In fact, that’s the case with anything I resist like writing or yoga.

It’s easy when it’s effortless. The real work comes in when it’s not. That’s also when you grow + see things unfold.  By writing this post, I’m working on detaching from the “struggle.”  It’s something that happens + I don’t have to succumb to it. I’m bigger than that. I can notice the resistance + do it any way. That’s what makes a practice.

Posted in persistence, self development, solutions | 2 Comments »

is rejection holding you back?

Friday, April 9th, 2010
 

Rejection stinks. Especially when you’re a sensitive type which most creative people are.  Fear of rejection is almost worse because its something we’re creating ourselves.  Having processed my own share of rejection and fear of it, as well as working with many clients who have to deal with it in different ways, I thought it would be worth writing about.

Some examples of rejection could be:

  • Your Creative Director tells you to get back to the drawing board after you and your partner stay up all night creating what you were sure would win you a Clio.
  • You spend 2 days writing the perfect cover letter for your dream job and you hear that they’ve hired someone else.
  • The agent who was so excited about your proposal doesn’t return your call.
  • You have a great idea in a brainstorming session, but don’t share it because you don’t want to look bad.

Whatever the flavor is, when it happens to you, it can bring up all kinds of uncomfortable feelings — shame, self-righteous anger, sadness, depression, futility, exhaustion, whatever it is, it’s usually not positive.

The trick is not to wallow in those initial feelings, but recognize them and move on.  Take the next action that will move you away from wallowing. That could be calling it a day and going home (put the brain down and walk away) or taking a walk around the block. Just get away from the situation for a minute and get a grip.

Then pick up the phone or pencil again and get back at it.

Yes, putting our work or ideas out in to the world can make us vulnerable, but if we don’t do it, then we really can’t wonder why we are where we are.

The barstool dreamer usually stays on the barstool.  If you want to get off of it, you have to deal with the discomfort and keep going forward.  Whatever you might think of Tiger Woods, you have admire him for getting back on to the golf course.  Sure, he’s got a lot of money at stake, but he could have waited it out longer.

The main thing to remember is what was so famously said in the Godfather: “It’s not personal, Sonny. It’s strictly business.”

Posted in action, letting go, persistence, problem solving, solutions, state of mind | No Comments »

do your practice

Monday, January 25th, 2010
 

The good news is that I’m busy, and not with running errands, but actual work. My schedule is changing as I fit more clients in to my days and while it’s exciting for me, I’ve not posted anything in almost 2 weeks! Yikes. I actually thought it had been a week, but there it is — January 12th.

I was hoping that a topic would come to me as I did other things and then it would just flow effortlessly. Um, yeah, it doesn’t really work that way all the time. I even read another blog advising that to be productive, it’s best to set up a daily writing routine. I told myself that I would do it, yet I didn’t. So I thought if i wrote about it, I might actually make a commitment to it.

The problem for me with writing is that I always intend to do it, i block out time on my calendar, I sit down with my good intentions and then I start searching the web for inspiration. Check out what other people are saying, look for interesting topics, all the while responding to emails and reading tweets as they roll in. How exactly does that constitute as writing?

I’ve known for years that to get good at anything, the key is to practice. As a result, there will be days where it’s effortless and other days where you wonder if you could possibly be the most untalented person alive.

When I was younger I hated to practice piano. No, time didn’t disappear as I pounded away at the keys, but instead the 30 minutes required to be allowed to go hang out with my friends seemed like 8 hours. Clearly, not my calling. But when I write, it doesn’t feel like work, I enjoy it, time disappears, so why do i resist it?

I’m not going to be able to answer that in this post. Instead I’m committing to a plan of writing 30 minutes a day. I’ll shut down email, my web browsers and do it. In fact, this session counts for today. Maybe first thing in the morning is my time. Coffee always helps.

By writing on a regular basis, as opposed to when I feel inspired, I give myself the chance to write something worthwhile. Yes, there is value in researching online, but it’s still not the act of writing. Just like creative people need to immerse themselves in all things creative to be inspired, they’re not only immersing themselves. Everyday they paint, write, play, photograph, sing, whatever their practice is.

In the wise words of the great Yoga Guru Pattabhi Jois, “Do your practice and all is coming.”

Posted in action, musings, persistence, problem solving, solutions, state of mind | No Comments »

no, you’re not crazy

Friday, December 11th, 2009
 

I frequently hear from people who have been looking for a job for months and are starting to wonder if there’s life out there on our planet. They’ve worked their networks, they’ve updated their resume, portfolio, cover letters, they apply to every possible job at every possible level and still – silence…Enough silence that you realize there’s a mouse living in your walls – never noticed it because it only comes out during the day and you’re usually at work. All of the daytime renovations in your apartment building are probably a revelation too. You might not have known that your upstairs neighbor was gutting her kitchen until you stopped going out during working hours in case you missed something at your computer.

By the time these job seekers call me, they’re not only exhausted but they’ve begun to question their abilities and their sanity. If you’ve gotten to this point, I highly recommend you contact someone who can give you an objective opinion about what might be going on. Sure, you can blame some of it on the economy, but there’s probably something you could change that could make a difference.

It’s often hard for us to see these things for ourselves, so you could call that friend of yours who just got a new job (they’ve just experienced it themselves so could have some good insights), a career coach or a recruiter that you trust. Talk to this person about all that you’re doing and see if they can help you do some tweaking.

If you’ve already tweaked like crazy, you might think “tweak what?” but believe me, with a fresh pair of eyes, there’s always something to tweak.

One common energy drain that I see is people applying to endless job postings. First of all, it’s sad but true that most of these online application systems are blackholes. But still, it’s their procedure, so you need to do it. But, don’t stop there. If you really want the job and feel that you’re a good fit, then see if you can find someone who can get you in front of the right person.

That takes energy too, so don’t waste it for jobs that you’re overqualified for or that you don’t really care about. I say “overqualified” specifically because in a market like this, recruiters are seeing tons of overqualified candidates and they’re probably not going to call you. They want people who will be challenged and stay in the job for a reasonable amount of time.

If you’re finding that you’re not hearing back from jobs that you’d be perfect for, then there could be something wrong with your resume or your portfolio. Try to think back to comments that people have made when you do talk to them. I had one client who was told by someone that she didn’t know what to do with her based on her resume. It turned out that that was my initial reaction to her resume too. It was too broad. So we worked on changing the resume to make it more specific and she’s already getting more calls and interviews.

Another thing to ask yourself is how are you networking? If you’re just connecting to everyone on Linked In, but not having actual conversations with them, then that’s not going to help very much on it’s own. You might be hesitant to “bother” people more than requesting a connection, but it’s all in how you communicate. Be respectful of their time and make your communication brief and direct.

Maybe you know a friend of a friend who works at the type of company you’d like to work at. You could send them an email saying “I’m Joe’s friend and we met at that Halloween party. I was the Balloon Boy. I’m in the process of looking for work and saw that you work in my industry. Could I buy you coffee or lunch so I could ask your advice about some things?”

I know it feels like a bother to this guy, but you’re not asking them out for an evening. It’s just lunch or a coffee break. Everyone needs to eat and take breaks. Also, most people do like to help others. They also like to talk about themselves. What have you got to lose?

These are just a couple of examples, but my point is that while the job search used to be very straightforward (illustrated by how your parents can’t figure out why you just can’t get a job), it’s no longer that way. It’s a search that requires you to be strategic, flexible, humble yet confident. Another thing is make sure you’re taking care of yourself. You might have had to cut back on the pedicures, but that doesn’t mean you can’t give yourself a break and have coffee with a friend who has nothing to do with your job search. They just make you laugh. Because if there’s not time for that, then what’s the point of any of it?

Posted in networking, persistence, resume, solutions | 3 Comments »

interview with coffee roaster John Kelleran

Monday, November 23rd, 2009
 

Today I’m happy to introduce to you one of my oldest and dearest friends, John Kelleran. I’ve always admired the way John lives his life and you’ll see what I mean when you read more. He has recently become a coffee roaster, and here’s his story.

Me: Before I ask you about coffee, could you tell us about your video work?

John: I’ve been shooting documentaries and cable TV shows for about 17 years (www.johnkelleran.com). I love the places I go and hope that I can continue to do camera work in some capacity for the rest of my life. I know I won’t be able to run around like I do forever, so I’ve been thinking about how I can segue into another business while continuing to shoot.

Me: And now you’ve got a coffee business. How did you get started with that?

John: After our first child was born I got “rising housing” panic and bought a home in Westchester, NY. I got caught up with the feeling that if I didn’t buy a home now, I’d be priced out.

A year and a half later our second child was born. Then I got a new panic: I started to hate all the “stuff” I had. Since our second child was born in Westchester, there seemed to be some suburban license allowing people to drop of all this plastic crap. I would wake and see my kids surrounded by uninteresting colored objects. The apparent values I was falling into felt awful.

I talked my wife into selling the house (accidentally a month before the pin popped the bubble) and moving to Costa Rica to “clear our minds.” She was resistant at first, and then went along.

We rented a very open house in the jungle not far from the beach and our minds began to clear. Our son was 6 months and daughter 3 years. We all started to breath clearly.

It was here that we got a taste for good coffee. We sent some to my mother-in-law in Poland; she loved it, sold the rest, and asked us to send her more. Eventually we felt we could solve the supply problem by moving to Poland and roasting coffee ourselves.

Me: This has not been an easy time to start a business. How have you managed that?

John: We pooled our financial resources, bought a roaster and moved to Poland. I often jump into a situation, and then figure it out. It doesn’t always work out well, but that’s what I find myself doing.

Me: What has kept you moving forward?

John: Almost everyone that I’ve met in the coffee business has been great. It’s the second biggest commodity traded in the world, the product employs over 200 million, and I want to be one of them. There’s no Bacchus for coffee, yet so many share the same experience at the same time every day.

Me: What did people think when you originally told them of your plans?

John: Most people thought I was courageous and odd.

Me: What mistakes have you made?

John: I didn’t do proper research into my market. The polish market demands you give them the espresso machine with the coffee. I under capitalized and found myself defensive for my lack of machinery. I didn’t realize I needed to be in the machine business too.

Me: What have you learned?

John: I’ve learned that I still love the business and want to continue. I started it with my wife and will continue. My father told me to pick a business partner more carefully than I do a spouse, she and I may have made the perfect choice. We may not have. I wish we had made a projected schedule outlining how much time we had to commit to the business. We blindly underestimated the time and efforts of having young children. In the end, we really don’t have the time to run the business like we wanted to.

Me: What advice would you give someone who wants to start a business?

John: To do more research on your own. I wish I had made the trip to Poland alone and spoken to cafes and restaurants about what their needs were. I knew I had a better product at a better price, but that’s not enough. I also wish I had thought about getting a partner who knows the market and open to our style of the modern coffee business.

Me: If people want to try your coffee where can they go?

John: We are packing everything in a 40 foot container and moving to Upstate New York. We love the business and the product and I hope to always have a perfect coffee in every cup I drink. Our website now is: www.kellerancoffee.com, we are only selling in Europe now. When we come to the states, I’ll let you all know via Anne.

Thank you!!

Posted in change, interviews, persistence | 3 Comments »

clare alexander following her bliss

Monday, September 21st, 2009
 


I met Clare via Linked In (one of the benefits of these social networking sites). We spoke about her resume because she was focusing more on her “day job.” But soon after we talked, I received an excited (and inspiring) email from Clare saying that she had been recently recognized for her singing in a new way. I thought that her story would inspire others who are still plugging away at their art while making ends meet in whatever way they can.

Me: Could you tell us about your background?

Clare: After dabbling in music growing up, I moved to Los Angeles at age 32 to finally make a real go of it as a singer/songwriter. In Los Angeles, I spent the first 6 years plugging away at my dream, learning to write, collaborate, play small venues and strengthen my vocal ability. After I ran out of money, I went back to a serious day job working for a couple record labels doing sync licensing, which eventually led to managing projects in music merchandising. Then I got married and gave it up entirely for 4 years. After divorcing 3 years ago, I turned back to the one thing that always got me through everything: music.

Me: What has been the biggest challenge in your career?

Clare: When I returned to pursuing music, I didn’t know where to start and secretly I felt too old. Besides that feeling, there was the challenge of needing to make ends meet, and balancing my creative talents with a “day job”. Even though that “day job” has been in the entertainment industry so that I stay close to my dream, deep down inside, it has not fulfilled me. I continue to struggle every day with finding a place I fit, making a decent salary and being self-expressed.

Me: How did things recently take a turn?

Clare: About 2 months ago an artist manager stopped by our floor to look at space for rent. Indifferently, I gave him a cd saying maybe his artist would like to do one of my songs. An hour later he called me. He had listened to my entire cd and said, “you’re voice is beautiful, and your songs are so heartfelt.” “Your phrasing and delivery are like the old school singer/songwriters (i.e. Carly Simon, Carole King). “You have to keep doing these yourself”. I started crying. I told him in the entire 11 years I had been in Los Angeles, not one person in the industry had ever said anything that nice to me. All of a sudden I believed in myself again. I never thought at age 43, I would be given another shot at this, attending meetings as a singer/songwriter and receiving real professional advice and guidance.

Me: What has been your biggest challenge in following your dream?

Clare: Money and not being able to play an instrument have been my biggest challenges. I recently met with a PR/marketing company that loves my music. They want to put together a website, EP (four song cd) and send it out to 300 college radio stations. This will give me exposure and in turn bring people to my website. They want a monthly fee to do the campaign. So, I have been trying to come up with a way to raise or borrow money to pay them to get started. Not playing an instrument has made me dependent on other musicians for performance and collaborating. No one wants to work for free.

Me: How have you kept believing in your music for such a long time?

Clare: In the past, I have made the mistake of allowing others’ negative beliefs and opinions to carry a lot of weight (i.e. “you’re too old”, “it’s a tough business”) But in the last year I have gotten different reactions from people when I play them my songs, they are dumbfounded. My roommate cried!! They are touched by my voice and lyrics. This keeps me believing.

Me: What do you believe in strongly?

Clare: I believe strongly in this quote from Joseph Campbell: “ . . .If you follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you start living. When you can see that, you begin to meet people who are in your field of bliss, and they open doors to you . . .”

Basically, when you move towards your dreams, the universe provides all sorts of coincidences and relationships with people that will lead you further down your path.

Me: What advice would you give someone who is trying to make a living with their art, but can’t seem to get a break?

Clare: Stay open and try a lot of different avenues – don’t be attached to one way. Always keep your eyes open and pay attention. Don’t play possum. Tell people what you do and be proud of it. I have a saying I tell people all the time: “People only buy what you are selling”. If you come across with confidence, they will believe it also. Celebrate your baby steps.

Me: Where can people listen to your music?

Clare: You can hear a sample of my work on my MySpace page: myspace.com/clarealexander

For collaborating or vocal projects, email me directly at: alexsongcan (at) yahoo (dot) com

Posted in interviews, persistence | No Comments »