 If you live in California, you are probably an expert on understanding the AQI (Air Quality Index) by now. A measurement that tells you whether it is safe to go outside during the fire season. Californians are in the throes of enduring yet another challenging fire season which seems to worsen year after year. Last year was a record season in California since fire seasons started getting recorded in 1932. Over 9,917 fires burned close to 4.5 million acres of land last year. Understandably, many locals are cashing in on their overly priced homes and moving to other parts of the US where they can breathe clean air throughout the year. Those who stay are having to accept that it is a new cost of living in a state that still offers more pros than cons. As frustrating and uncomfortable as it is, people adapt and figure out how to get through this time of year. The ones who don’t adjust either leave the state or remain incredibly miserable throughout the fire season. If you live in California, you are probably an expert on understanding the AQI (Air Quality Index) by now. A measurement that tells you whether it is safe to go outside during the fire season.
Californians are in the throes of enduring yet another challenging fire season which seems to worsen year after year. Last year was a record season in California since fire seasons started getting recorded in 1932. Over 9,917 fires burned close to 4.5 million acres of land last year. Understandably, many locals are cashing in on their overly priced homes and moving to other parts of the US where they can breathe clean air throughout the year. Those who stay are having to accept that it is a new cost of living in a state that still offers more pros than cons. As frustrating and uncomfortable as it is, people adapt and figure out how to get through this time of year. The ones who don’t adjust either leave the state or remain incredibly miserable throughout the fire season. I work with a lot of professionals who deal with challenges in having to adjust their work habits to be successful. They move into positions at their firm where they are now responsible for bringing in revenue. Whether it is an associate who turns to partner or a professional who leaves the government and now works in the private sector, the challenge is the same. They must learn a new language and a way of conducting business that is often foreign and intimidating to them. Many can embrace the need to learn and eventually excel in their new careers. Others resist it and eventually become frustrated and leave the firm to pursue another opportunity that does not require business development. The professionals who want to be successful, not only have to learn the important skills and knowledge of business development, but they also have to practice it and eventually commit it to their daily practice. For those who understand the concept, yet still struggle to put this into practice, here are a few ways to master this. Learn from your colleagues and peers. My father always taught me to learn from others who were better than me. Whether it was in sports or in business. Think of those in your network from whom you can learn. Get their feedback on what has worked for them. Perhaps some of your trusted contacts can give you insights from the buyer’s point of view. If you talk to enough people, you will collect plenty of helpful information to incorporate into an approach that works best for you. Read more! Books, audiobooks, articles on LinkedIn. Whatever your preference, there is a plethora of information that experts are publishing. A few good reads worth considering are
Get a coach or mentor. Learning what you need to do is one thing. Learning how to do it and having someone keep you accountable is another. All great professional athletes work with coaches. No matter how good they are, they can always learn more and get better. Coaches help professionals accelerate their path to success. Many firms offer internal training and coaching. Take advantage of that when you can. If your firm does not offer training or coaching, find someone outside of the firm who can help you. The return on your investment over the years far outweighs the initial cost. A big part of life is learning how to deal with and overcome challenges. Many people would prefer to avoid the challenge or bury their heads in the sand and pretend it isn’t there. When they take that approach, the problem rarely leaves. They either become numb to the problem or become increasingly miserable. Being proactive and finding solutions to challenges not only fuels a successful business, but also happier life. We do not see the fires leaving California anytime soon. There are times when the smoke reaches the point where we need to get out of Dodge. There are other times when we simply hunker down and weather the storm. Most importantly, we have adjusted the mindset that this is now an annual challenge we need to endure to enjoy the other wonders of this state. Comments are closed.
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