Sunday, December 25, 2005
Making A Difference
I was looking at some other blogs the other day, and noticed that, even with sites like mine that focus on current events and issues facing the world, there are some entries dedicated to the blog owner’s personal life, thoughts and feelings. Thus, I thought that I should try to write some personal entries as well, and mix them in with the commentaries on current events. This will be my first attempt at a personal blog.
So this entry is about making a difference. You know, some people grow up wanting to be a fireman, or a doctor, a lawyer, a politician. I was never one of those people who knew what I wanted to do. My goal is much vaguer: I wanted, want, to make a difference. I have a wide variety of skills, ranging a good mind for analyzing a situation, the ability to identify problems well before they become problems, a charismatic speaker, and an out-of-the-box perspective to most situations, to name a few.
These skills could be valuable in a wide variety of industries, and I didn’t really care which industry I landed in, I just wanted to make a difference. You know, the feeling you get when you help someone, when you truly make a difference in their life, that is the best feeling I’ve ever had. It can be as small as talking to someone in a tough situation and as great changing an entire society, but making a difference, that’s the feeling I want in my life. That’s what drives me.
I’ve searched for that aspect in my career life, where I work for younger technology companies. I normally come in on the sales/marketing or customer service side, and build up the aspects of the company that act as a barrier towards success. It’s a chance to make a real difference to an organization, but it’s challenging; the job normally entails changing the way a company has always done something. People are resistant to change, so you necessarily are going to encounter friction.
If a person is doing the job well, they will piss off some people, it’s the nature of the game. As such, the positions I take are not easy positions, but their positions which, if accomplished, can make a huge difference in the future of the company and in the life of each individual in the company. And yes, though I try to be a nice guy, and to be as friendly as I can throughout the process, I piss some people off along the way.
It’s not always the easiest life. I often feel alienated from the company, and since I move around a lot, these are the only people I know. But when it works, when I’m given a chance and I make it all happen and help a company reach its potential, I have to say I love the feeling of having made that difference, of having really accomplished something. And that’s what drives me, what motivates me. Making a difference.
In future entries I’ll talk about other ways I have made a difference, organizations I’ve helped build, ways I’ve made a difference in peoples personal lives, teaching. But I suspect that this will be a common theme throughout the blog, making a difference. And hey, if you feel like it, feel free to tell me how you make a difference, either on the site as a response or in an email. I’m interested to hear.
Posted by Scottage at 1:52 PM /
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