Up Market

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• Pay Attention & Build Something That Matters
• The Art of Conscious Living
• Business Tips from Movie Mogul Tyler Perry

Pay Attention & Build Something That Matters Posted: 12 Jun 2012 08:00 AM PDT I read Diane’s article as I added it to the editorial calendar this week. I was listening to fairly emotional music and I was half-distracted, because I’ve been thinking a lot about my life lately — incredible experiences, incredible relationships, things I’m coming to understand and things that are important to me personally. And how all of these things not only impact, but are directly tied to my work. Diane caught my attention, as distracted as I was, because she was saying many of the same things I had been thinking. I read her article twice before hitting ‘schedule,’ letting it really sink in. Living consciously, existing mindfully right now, valuing each moment for what it is, not what it could be or what story it might tell later — coming across these words in her voice woke me up. As much as we are told to compartmentalize our business lives from our personal lives, it doesn’t really work this way. The learning curves we climb as children and friends and lovers and parents all apply directly to our business. There’s a reason that the work you’re doing matters, even if you don’t see it right away. Your work affects someone in a very real way. It makes someone happy. It gives someone a needed resource, or a feeling of connection and belonging. It creates opportunities and tools for people who were waiting for just those things. Every single experience we have, in or out of work hours, teaches us more about what it’s like to be human. That understanding of human beings — ourselves and other people — is what allows us to build truly meaningful things. Saying that business is about making money, or playing a game, or climbing a ladder, is missing the point. Business is about people and connection and experience. Any business is an art project — or at least, it can be. Business can be meaningful and emotionally powerful. That’s how human beings connect — purpose and feeling, not dollar signs and revenue projections and quarterly reports. Can you imagine yourself in the shoes of the woman who buys what you’re selling? Can you see some small problem that you’re solving, some way you’re making her life easier? And don’t stop there — can you understand why that matters to her, how that changes her day (and maybe even her life)? That’s her experience. It’s the experience you’re helping to create for her. It’s what makes you a living, yes, and more importantly, it’s why you do what you do. Can you feel what she’s feeling? Are you paying attention to your experience? Because that’s where your edge is. Sometimes, it’s the only edge that matters. Image credit: Victor Bezrukov

The Art of Conscious Living Posted: 12 Jun 2012 05:00 AM PDT Every once in awhile I treat myself to a massage.  It is especially enjoyable when my muscles are sore.  I make a special effort to be as aware of every little sensation as I can – so that nothing escapes my perception.  I want to completely immerse myself  in the experience and enjoy every second of it.  And when I do this, I have often felt as though it might be possible to slow time down.  While this is likely not possible (though there are some who believe there is no such thing as time), I do think being intensely present allows us to fill each second of our time with more awareness, more enjoyment and more of life’s sweetness than ever. I contrast this to how I have felt when stuck in traffic at the end of a long day (especially with screaming kids in the car), cleaning up after our dog or cat, or getting a cavity filled.  While undertaking less than pleasurable activities such as these, I’ve found that I can disengage altogether and occupy my mind with other things.   And when I do, things seem to have a way of speeding up.  The whole experience becomes distant and a bit blurred.  I can drive all the way home and not be able to recall a single landmark I passed along the way. The idea that I can slow down or speed up time for myself like this is interesting to me.  But what is even more intriguing – and somewhat unsettling – is the thought of how much of my life is spent somewhere between these two extremes, on a kind of auto pilot.  How many times when talking with a friend has my mind been somewhere else – reviewing my "to do" list, thinking of what I could cook for dinner, or even determining what I want to say next?  How many times when my kids came proudly marching into the house to show me their latest artwork have I half heartedly glanced up from what I was doing and offer feigned enthusiasm?  What I’ve missed in those moments is something I can never get back. I used to think it was vital to capture special times on film – and lugged around a camera, camcorder (or both) at the kids' recitals, ball games, or during vacations and holiday dinners.  Then one day I realized I was so caught up in getting the perfect shot that I missed those precious moments altogether.  And it’s never quite the same when you watch the video.  So I started resisting the urge to reach for those devices (or even bring them altogether), and instead simply immerse myself  in whatever was going on.  And I believe the quality of my memories has improved significantly – even if I don't have a lot of photos or videos to show for it. What if we lived more of our lives with the kind of presence we have when we don't want to miss a thing?  How much stronger would we connect with each other?  How much more of our special moments together would we actually experience and enjoy?  How much more trust could we inspire and cultivate?  How much more joy could we create?  How many more problems would we solve with solutions that addressed those little things that previously escaped our awareness and came back to bite us?   How much more of our very selves could we bring to everything we do and everyone we are with?  And how much better the world would be because of it! Perhaps as we become more aware of the degree to which we are really showing up, we can begin to gauge how much of our lives we are truly living.  And then we can consciously create – and enjoy - lives worth living for.  Image credit: Trekking Rinjani

Business Tips from Movie Mogul Tyler Perry Posted: 12 Jun 2012 02:00 AM PDT Tyler Perry is known for his many movies, most of which he co-stars as an elderly black woman named Medea. But the actor, writer, director and producer has also learned a few things about entrepreneurship during his years in theater and film. Perry, a native of Louisiana, got his start in the business by writing and performing plays. After years of successful tours of urban theaters, he moved into the world of film. Since his first movie was released—Diary of a Mad Black Woman, in 2005—he's worked on 15 films as either writer, director, actor, producer or a combination of those. Perry spoke to small business owners at an American Express-sponsored event in Chicago last week. A few of his tips, as reported by the Chicago Tribune and NBC Chicago: When someone does you wrong, learn from it. Finish what you start. Get on social media. It’s “used for a lot of foolishness, but in the right hands at the right time, it can change the world.” Sign your own checks. Perry has the authority to offer such advice: He was named the highest-paid man in Hollywood by Forbes in 2011. Image credit: Sgt. Michael Connors

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