Strong Goals During the New Normal That Will Calm You Down

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The events we’re going through right now have the power to shape us forever. None of us will be the same after this. Even if we don’t get sick ourselves, we all know someone who knows someone. Or we know someone who narrowly escaped being sick. So why have new goals at all, you might ask? For one thing, you’ll feel more in control if you have goals.

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First Look at Your Old Goals

Did you have resolutions for New Years that are now out the window? Why not rewrite them, since you’re at home anyway? For instance, one of my New Years goals was to make my own clothes. Hahaha! As if that’ll ever happen now. But instead, I’m making masks for healthcare providers to use. You might need to pivot in a similar way. You might like: How to Make Stretch Goals That Make You Stretch.

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Lowering the Bar Might Help

Some days, getting out of bed, making coffee, and making breakfast might be all that you can handle. Or calling up an elderly neithbor or two. Making that big goal a bit smaller could be just the ticket. Everyone’s expectations need to be lowered right now, since for many even going to the grocery store isn’t happening the same way it used to be.

Be Kind to Everyone, Including Yourself

One of my friends said it best: be sure to vote for Team You. That is, hang out with people who nurture and support you. If people don’t support you, leave their orbit. Maybe try being around them later. So maybe take some of your goals off your list entirely. Try learning to bungee jump next year instead of this year.

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Be Introspective

One thing that’s really good to do right now is to meditate on what you want from your life, your career, and your family. Why not consider writing in a diary, or restarting the diary that you haven’t written in for awhile? You might even want to start a gratitude journal. We’re all getting more alone time, so why not take advantage?

10 Social Media Expectations That Are Full of Baloney

10 Social Media Expectations That Are Full of Baloney

10 Social Media Expectations That Are Full of Baloney

People have a lot of expectations around social media. They think that it’s magic, and that once they are on social media, they don’t have to do anything except answer the phone calls of people wanting to hand them millions of dollars. Here are some popular misconceptions.

One Friend Will Tell Another Friend

This is a popular one. One friend will tell another friend will tell another friend. Like a giant Multi-Level Marketing scheme, the business or startup is of course at the top of the pyramid. When was the last time you were so excited about a new business that you told someone else? It happens, but rarely.

We’re Going to Raise a Million Dollars!

You might do that, but it could take a loooong time! It’s probably not going to happen in one week.

More Followers Equals More Value

More Followers Equals More Value

More Followers Equals More Value

This is the kind of thinking that makes people buy followers! Here’s how you can tell who has the most fake followers, by the way. In fact, the small accounts who take the trouble of engaging with you are probably your biggest fans. The number of fans makes some difference, but not if they’re fake.

Nobody Will See Your Drunk Tweet

Nobody Will See Your Drunk Tweets

Nobody Will See Your Drunk Tweets

Not only will they see those drunk tweets, they’ll take screenshots and share them with their friends and blog about it. By then you’ll be sober. And pretty sad. And that is one case where one friend will tell another friend who will tell another friend.

Having Goals on Social Media is Pointless

Having Goals on Social Media is Pointless

Having Goals on Social Media is Pointless

Yes, there is a point. If you’d like to move beyond vanity metrics (popularity or number of followers), some good goals might be: retweeting five people a day, having a conversation with someone new on Facebook, or participating in a Twitter Chat.

People on Social Media Are Waiting for a Sales Pitch

People on Social Media Are Waiting for a Sales Pitch

People on Social Media Are Waiting for a Sales Pitch

Yes and no. If people like you, they might put up with an occasional sales pitch. But selling all the time is so 1974. You probably won’t get a follower in the first place if you’re only selling.

Social Media is Free

Social Media is Free

Social Media is Free

One word: Nope! Is your time free? Is your brain power free? Is your creativity free?

It’s Okay to Broadcast without Engagement

What is this? The first day of the Internet? Broadcast-only mode is akin to sending direct messages on Twitter when someone first follows you.

People Won’t Notice Bad Reviews

Um, yes they will. According to this Search Engine Land article, “88% Have Read Reviews To Determine The Quality Of A Local Business.” Don’t you check out businesses online before you buy from them?

My Audience Isn’t Online

You could say that in 1995, but these days everyone is online. Your grandma is looking at pictures of your kids on Facebook and watching cat videos on Youtube.

Did You Have Any Misconceptions When You Started?

I’d love to hear! Let me know in the comments. And thank you for reading.

Startup Management Shuffle: Survival, Part 2

Startup Management Shuffle

Startup Management Shuffle

You’ve become known as the “organized one” at your startup, since you’ve started to take notes and call for meetings. People may be looking to you as someone to lead them out of the chaos and into the sunlight of a well-oiled machine. That might be a mixed metaphor, but you know what I’m getting at. What other ways can you use to help yourself survive and thrive in a management shuffle? Here are some ideas.

Be the Archivist

If you’re prepared with notes from past meetings, that will enormously help the entire team. You can use a footer to note the name of the document and whether it’s version 1, 2, 3, etc. Don’t forget to date the notes, too! If you send notes to your team, send a .pdf. In the olden days, this used to be called “version control.” You can change the version in the footer every time you make a change (and don’t let a bunch of people work on the same doc at once, unless you’re working in Google docs).

Manage Expectations

Every time there’s a new bunch of people in charge, you have to figure out what they expect from you and what you can expect from them. If you can quickly let go of past expectations that will help a lot. Learning to go with the quick change tide is what happens in a startup.

Figure out Your Job Duties

With new management, your job duties may suddenly change. You may suddenly have more or fewer duties, and those won’t always be communicated directly, so asking lots of questions can help. Your title may change as well.

Know When to Fold ‘Em

Know When To Fold 'Em

Know When To Fold ‘Em

Some degree of pushback is to be expected during any reorg. There may be a kerfuffle or two. Realize that you can have a resume ready to go in a couple of hours if you really need to bail. It’s so easy to think that where you work is the center of the universe, but there are other jobs, and many other good jobs.

What Strategies Have You Used?

If you’re at a startup, what are you doing to keep your sanity?

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