Technology: How do you use it?

Technology: How do you use it?

This is a subject I have grown to become extremely passionate about over the last 3 to 5 years, particularly since the acceleration of online higher education, social media, smartphones/TVs, and the efficiency of applications such as Skype, Blackboard, IM, video/music streaming, etc.  You truly can run a global operation from the comfort of you own home, if you have mastered technology and all of its functions and nuances.  Granted many of us are not there (yet), and maybe running an entire globalized operation from your living room is a bit of a stretch - but the point is, one could if they had the means and a trusted team of, tech-savvy, highly intelligent, efficient, and productive individuals.  Again, a lot easier said than done.  So where do you stand on technology and how it is used in our everyday lives?  For me there are two general and basic categories: Distraction and Entertainment and to Perform Tasks Efficiently, and, quite simply, Make Things Easier.  Let's break it down.

Distractions and Entertainment:

Yes, technology is great, that goes without saying.   Think about it, we all have the power to do anything we want at anytime in the palm of our hands; some of us actually have it in the palm of our hands 24/7!  This is true, I personally know people like this.  It has even come to the point where our devices are the most important material thing to us, right underneath food, clothes and shelter, maybe you know someone that places it above food - it's possible.  How many of you (yes, I'm guilty of this as well) have been in your car, hopefully at a stop light, and decided it was a good idea to send a text, check your email, Twitter or Facebook feed?  I'd be willing to guess it is above 80-90%.  I can't tell you how often I see people doing this while actually trying to drive.  All this serves as a huge distraction.  How about when you are out with friends, at work, on a date, or just hanging at home with your kids and/or pets and you are glued to your smartphone, tablet, or laptop, and your kid, dog, or significant other wants attention?  This happens to all of us whether we are doing it consciously or subconsciously, really we are not trying to be unresponsive or unaware of our surroundings - it's almost as if some of can't help but be drawn to technology.  We are constantly being distracted by something (I just checked Facebook about 3 times while writing this post), and most of the time it is something of minimal or no importance.  That email could have waited, that tweet could been posted later, you've already seen the YouTube video, etc.  I've even seen people walk into stop signs, tree branches, or me while walking their dogs, all because they had their eyes glued to their phones.

My question to everyone out there is, do we really need to constantly be distracted by technology or is it there to serve a greater purpose?  I'd argue the latter, undoubtedly.  That is not to say, there is a time and a place for entertainment and other forms of uninformative articles, or social media posts, because there most certainly is, it just does't have to be 24/7.  Think about it, humans have managed hundreds of thousands of years without advanced technology, yet today most of us can't put it down for a few minutes let alone an hour or two.

Perform Tasks Efficiently and Make (everyday) Things Easier:

On to what I believe the best use of technology is: to perform tasks efficiently and make things easier.  I for one love technology and consider myself a tech-savvy individual.  I really can't imagine life without it.  Now, with the use of technology everyone has access to a vast ocean of information all at the click of a button, can manage all their financial accounts in one app, connect with associates, friends, and family across the globe in an instant (by video), streamline manufacturing processes, work autonomously; heck it can even parallel park your car for you, not to mention the fact that "getting lost" is now taboo.  There are countless other reasons for the use of technology and the benefits received, which I will not go into as you know what they are.  In business, technology has endless possibilities.  A small one man operation now has the potential to reach as many consumers/customers as an established multi-national.  That to me is mind-blowing.

Once one has harnessed the true purpose of technology, to perform tasks efficiently and make (everyday) things easier, your life could become more simplified.  That said, if one let's technology take control or someone doesn't fully grasp the powers of having a device or devices that, 30 years ago, would have costed millions of dollars and took up a room the size of your apartment, then life suddenly becomes more hectic and out of control.  How many times have you heard people say, "I'm so busy"?  Well, I'd put some money on it (although I don't have much), if they took advantage of the technology that we are so fortunate to have access to, harness and understand its powers, your life would begin to simplify.  Maybe, I am reaching a bit, but I feel it has worked for me.  How do YOU use technology?

If you agree or disagree, or are attached to your devices 24/7, I'd love to hear your comments.

PS - If you are in need of any Business and Marketing consultation for your small to mid-sized business/start-up feel free to shoot me an email at: modernbizstrategy@gmail.com.

Cheers,

ModernManTellsAll

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Relationships: Job hunting is a lot like dating

I'm sure many people have experienced the loss of a job or a breakup in a relationship, and if you really think about it the two are very similar.  I will be explaining this mainly from the male perspective, as that is all I know, being a male my entire life.  That is not say there are some similarities from the female perspective, however, I can't speak as an expert on such a subject (maybe some female commenters can elaborate).

OK, now that we have that out of the way let's get started.  Job hunting is a lot like dating in the sense that there are two sides to the story, coupled with the fact that there is rejection and mutual acceptance.  A job search can be agonizing for many, as can be dating, particularly in large cities where competition is fierce and viable options/positions are few and far between.  Furthermore, many of the job descriptions require qualifications that no real human can possibly have (10 years experience, MBA, know how to code a website, 7 feet tall, $20/hr, etc.), just as TV and movies cloud the judgement of the qualities/qualifications real men and women have.

In the dating world women are (typically) the final decision makers as are the hiring managers in the job world.   Have you ever gone on an interview and thought to yourself, I just knocked that out of the park; the conversation was balanced and flowing, etc.  You felt you were on the same page as the interviewer, you both were even having a few laughs sharing like experiences professionally and personally. All you had to do was wait for that phone call/email letting you know you got the job - only to have it never happen.  You follow up, "just to check in", and no response...?

This same phenomena happens in the dating world, particularly with men.  You went on a date or two with this smoking hot girl, the conversation was flowing, the two of you were laughing and having a great time, you have this in the bag no doubt.  As a (young) man, we always jump ahead and think we landed the perfect girl friend and the rest will be history.  Well, as we know this is not always the case.  We actually have no idea what the other person (the female) is thinking, or what other options/candidates the female has waiting in the wings.   It is a fact that a good looking woman gets hit on an average of 8 to 10 times a day, that's 70 times a week and over 3,000 attempts a year!  That is a lot of competition, therefore one must stand-out.

The same can be said for the high-value, highly sought after jobs.  As a hiring manager, I know from experience that just by posting a job ad on Craigslist will bring in over 100 resumes in a week.  So the question is, how do you stand-out from the competition? 

This is a tricky question, because as I stated earlier the decision power is in the hands of the female/hiring manager.  I guess the answer to both (as in life) would be to put your best foot forward at all times, keep growing professionally and personally, don't think ahead - stay present, learn from your mistakes, and don't stop searching until you have a definite answer.

As always, I'd love to hear your comments on this topic, so please leave comments if you desire.

PS - If you are in need of any Business and Marketing consultation for your small to mid-sized business/start-up feel free to shoot me an email at: modernbizstrategy@gmail.com.

Ciao,

ModernManTellsAll

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Lifestyle: So much to learn, so little time

I can remember growing up and not even thinking twice about how important it is to learn and be educated. My primary focus was on playing sports and enjoying time with friends - that was the most important thing.  Throughout grade school and high school I basically coasted along, going through the motions and getting mostly B's with a few C's and A's, mostly without much effort outside of the classroom.  This mind-set didn't change much, maybe even declined as I graduated high school and went to junior college at Harper and ECC.  I barley went to class and had no desire to learn anything new.  You could say I thought I knew it all as most teenagers assume - at least the males.  I pretty much spent most of the time partying with friends and enjoying life, without even a clue as to what I wanted to do.

Moving on to my decision to go to a four year college in 2000.  I felt I had to do something as I, and the majority of the people I was hanging with, really had no direction - and drifting through life.  So I had a self-realization, so to speak, and went through (mentally) what it is I really like to do, outside of playing sports.   I came up with two paths - both of which would enable me to move out of the mid-west and to the west.  It came down to culinary school and film/audio school.  Well, I chose to go to film/audio school at Columbia College Chicago.  This is where things started to change for me mentally, as the subject matter and teachers at Columbia were intriguing, engaging, and informative.  Although I had been more engaged than ever, I was still only giving about 75% effort towards learning, homework, and classroom participation.  This could be attributed to just growing up and realizing how the world actually works or just slow to adhere to authority.  Needless to say I graduated with a 3.0 average (not bad) and made the move to Los Angeles shortly after.

Not to lose sight of what this post is about, as it's not about me per-se but it gives a real life example to compare to; it's the fact that there is so much to learn and so little time.  The amount of information out there that we now have instant access to is mind-boggling to say the least.  This phenomena really hadn't occurred to me until recently.  Learning is actually addictive, and the personal growth one can achieve through this access to information can be exponential.  I say exponential meaning once your mind is trained to obtain and process information and you break through the misconception that you know everything and/or are content with who you are and what you know, the craving to learn overcomes and drives you.

Take for example my recent studies at Northeastern University where I obtained my MBA.  The amount of information and knowledge I gained just by dedicating myself to learning the material has been a life changer for me.  I like to describe it as a mental evolutionary leap.  It was the first time I actually gave 100% effort towards school or any learning for that matter.  Now, I can essentially talk business and economics with anyone, from Fortune 500 execs to Professors to regular people.  To be honest, it has gotten to the point where I'd rather sit down and read a book or watch an educational documentary, or a TEDTalk than some mindless television show or movie.  I've even contemplated going for a PHD, if it did not cost an absurd amount of money of course.

The point is, once you realize the importance of education and the value of being informed, the more you want to know and obtain, and the less time you want to waste on meaningless content - it's an addiction just like cigarettes or alcohol.  Further, the more educated one is the more freedom one has and the less chance one has of being controlled by fear.  Couple all that with the fact that life is short, even if you live to 90, that is only a blink of an eye in the broad scope of life on earth.

We are living in the information age, and now have access to everything and anything at the push of a button or by typing a few keywords in a Google search.  Many of the top universities are now offering their courses online to anyone interested, granted you will not get credit or a diploma; however you will gain the knowledge which can be applied to your daily life and career.

Learn as much as you can while you can - you will not regret it - and no one can ever take what you've learned away from you. You can lose material things, family and friends, but what knowledge you have that is yours (outside of a mental disease or injury).  In my opinion the most important thing to living is consuming information and growing as a man and as a human.  And then passing that education/knowledge down to others willing to listen and learn.

As always, I'd love to hear your comments on this topic, so please leave comments if you desire.

PS - If you are in need of any Business and Marketing consultation for your small to mid-sized business/start-up feel free to shoot me an email at: modernbizstrategy@gmail.com.

Cheers,

ModernManTellsAll

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Lifestyle: Lost Nature

Nature is all around us, and yet so many of us choose (subconsciously or consciously) to be surrounded by technology (all day) and consumed by the daily grind of work, family, social media, traffic, TV, shopping, etc. It's almost as if we forget it's even there, or what our backyards, parks, beaches, forests, etc. look like and have to offer.  I know for me it took a separation, if you will, from my last employer to even get to the beach, which is only 15 miles away!

For the last two years I was pursuing my MBA, studying 25-35 hours/week and working 45-50 hours/week, with barely any time for my dog let alone myself.  Now, I know some of you have families to care for, but that is not the point, as it is the same no matter what way you look at.  So for two years I never made it to the beach, and I have access to some of the best beaches in North America by way of Los Angeles.  Sad isn't it?! The first Monday I had off, the first thing I did was drive to the beach and chilled, kicked back, listened to the ocean, surfed, read, etc. for a few hours, and the entire time I was thinking, man how is it that it took this long and something as extreme as parting ways with my old job to get here.  I know this is how many of us live and I'm here to tell you to stop and look around as much as you can - go out into nature (hiking, beaches, parks, lakes, etc.), time passes bye so fast that we'll be old before you know it.

Nature for me is like recharging the batteries.  I try and go out on hikes at least four times a week - mornings are best.  Granted living this close to Griffith Park affords me the luxury of having access to great trails, and in the mornings there's barely anyone there.  And those that are all smiling and happy to be outside walking their dogs, with friends, by themselves, no matter what they all smile and say hi and good morning.  There has to be something to it, as for me, starting my day this way enables me to appreciate the little things I am lucky enough to have.  Things such as my health, being able to run and climb hills, my happy ass dog, living in a city where I can disappear into nature in less than 5 minutes, friends, family, etc.

One of my favorite things to do is go off on a "side-trail" where most people will not hike, and hike up to the top and just sit there; take in the silence, well sometimes, as it is still LA and there are police choppers flying around on occasion, but they'll eventually disappear.  Even still, sitting up there, away from the concrete jungle and random people that are stressed out, missing life, hate their jobs, and on their phones non-stop is enlightening - even if it's for 10 or 20 minutes.  Not to mention it really slows things down, at least for the amount of time you are out taking in nature - 20 minutes could feel like an hour in "the real world".

If you really think about this it truly makes sense, we as humans have only been this disconnected from nature for around 100 years, in most cases much less.  I am not here to tell you to abandon your smartphones, laptops, iPads, etc., as I am all for technology and it's purpose and functionality.  As a matter of fact I consider myself a connoisseur and extremely tech-savvy.  Furthermore, I appreciate all that it does and will do for humans in the future.  The amount of information that is instantly accessible; the connectedness across the globe, efficiency, productivity, etc.  However, I am saying for your own well-being you should go out and enjoy nature as much as possible.  Think about all the time you spend in a day on Facebook or checking your phone just to find out you missed nothing; that email was spam; you already saw those pictures of your friends kids; or read some absurd post by someone that lacks the expertise/knowledge to speak on such a subject, etc.  I'm sure you get the point.  

Add up all that time you spent in your day and then spend that amount of time out in nature, whether it be 10 minutes or an hour - believe me it will be well worth it.  Chances are you will become far more productive at work as well.  Remember, you are in control of your time and your life - no matter what responsibilities you have.  If you manage your time properly, you will have time to go out and appreciate what nature has to offer.  I bet it's more inspiring than what you'll find online (most of the time).

As always, feel free to leave any comments as they will be read and replied to.

PS - If you are in need of any Business and Marketing consultation for your small to mid-sized business/start-up feel free to shoot me an email at: modernbizstrategy@gmail.com.

Until next time...

ModernManTellsAll

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