As a passionate rock and roll fan, I can listen to guitar players all day. Give me Beck, Clapton, Vai, Satriani, Lynch, Santana, Buddy Guy and even James Taylor…the list goes on. But when it comes to rock and roll singers, there are few that I like as much as Jeff Scott Soto. Huh? ‘Who is this guy?‘ you’re wondering.
Jeff Scott Soto has been singing in a number of bands since the mid-1980’s when he came onto the scene playing in guitar virtuoso Yngwie Malmsteen’s band. He enjoyed a short stint as Journey’s lead singer a few years ago, has toured with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and has fronted a long list of hard rock and funk bands. Roughly a year ago, he came out with a solo album called Beautiful Mess (not an affiliate link) and this song, “Hey” is probably my favorite. It’s high energy, upbeat and has positive lyrics and a very catchy chorus.
If you’re looking for a little extra pep in your step, give a listen and have a great weekend!
I came to an important personal realization in the past few weeks and throughout the past couple job searches. It’s mostly common sense, but sometimes in the muck of job hunting, figuring things out and living “in transition” we forget. It’s perhaps the number one rule for those of us looking for work or working solo…
Don’t Surround Yourself With Yourself
I’ll be the first one to admit…job hunting or being in transition is one of the loneliest times in a person’s life. Whether we are married or single, there’s a good chance that we spend most of our time alone during the day and possibly the evening, as well.
Often, this time spent alone leads us to feel isolated and filled with doubt, anxiety and uncertainty. This situation often causes us to lose focus and it usually slows our productivity. I know, I’ve been in this situation more than I care to admit. I also talk to a lot of people who are experiencing this.
But thanks to blogging, networking and using my local career center, I’ve had the opportunity to connect with others in many different ways…which has made all the difference in the world. So if you’ve been spending way too much time by yourself whether you are job hunting or running your own company, here are few ideas…
Go to a coffee shop or bookstore for coffee
This is one of my favorite places to go when I’m feeling isolated and caged in. Get a window seat if possible. If you really want to be approachable don’t listen to your iPod or MP3 player. In recent months I’ve had some great conversations with other coffee shop patrons…especially a woman I met from the Netherlands. We talked about our countries and as we parted, she invited me to stay with her family if I ever visit her country.
Find a meetup group
There are meetup groups in your area about almost every topic…pick something that you’re interested in and attend a meeting. I’ve attended a few of these groups and was amazed how much I had in common with other members. In Chicago, there’s even a group for English Bulldog lovers…Check out meetup.com.
Attend a networking session
There are a lot of different networking sessions out there. Some are held in more conservative locations such as a church, school or office. Other networking sessions are held in social locations such as bars and restaurants. It does not matter…the key thing is to put yourself out there. Practice your elevator pitch. Also, approach the event as an opportunity to help other people, not the other way around. Last summer, I attended a networking event where I had the opportunity to help a recent college grad in my field and it was a really rewarding experience for me.
Create or find an accountability group
In recent years, I have witnessed and experienced the magic of group support. Call it an accountability group or a mastermind group…the important thing is that you have an opportunity to share what you’ve learned or ask questions in a supportive environment. While these groups do offer its members opportunities to complain and commiserate, they are intended to hold members accountable and motivated to take action. Visit your local career center to find out more about these groups. While I haven’t read the book yet, Keith Ferrazzi’s Who’s Got Your Back? touches on the importance of these “lifeline” groups. For resources on starting your own group, check out his Who’s Got Your Back? site here.
“Army of One” may have been a marketing slogan from the U.S. Army a couple years back, but it doesn’t need to be our motto during a job hunt or during time spent as owner of a small business.
How about you…what are your favorite ways to remain connected?
Flickr Creative Commons photo courtesy of Extra Medium.
Billy Collins is former United States Poet Laureate and hailed by the New York Times as “the most popular poet in America.” While I’m still getting familiar with his work, I know that he has a stellar reputation. I was at Borders the other day and saw a book of his poems near the front of the store. As someone who loves poetry and putting great thoughts into words, I found this poem highly entertaining and profound. I hope you do too…
In the past few weeks, I will admit that I felt pretty indifferent about watching the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. I can still remember a young, sports nerd version of me watch the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team capture the gold medal, snatching glory from the heavily-favored Soviet Union team. As young as I was, [...]
Today is the second birthday of 360 Degree Self! While I first created this blog on Blogger back in November of 2006, my first post wasn’t until more than a year later on February 17, 2008 when I wrote about the tragic Valentine’s Day murders at my old school, Northern Illinois University.
Like any two [...]
Just in time for Fat Tuesday this week is one of my favorite blues musicians, Buckwheat Zydeco. Born Stanley “Buckwheat” Dural Jr., he’s been playing his brand of zydeco music for more than 20 years and recently won a Grammy Award for his latest CD, Lay Your Burden Down. I’ve been a fan [...]
Back in my college days, one of my favorite memories was walking out of a class feeling enlightened. You know, the feeling of having that a-ha moment. I still remember a media studies lecture which explored small group behavior through the characters in the movie The Poseidon Adventure. That lecture was both profound and incredibly [...]
I’ve laughed and I’ve done yoga, but I’ve never participated in any laughter yoga activities. Seeing that laughter is such an important word for me this year, I’ve included a very interesting and informative clip about laughter yoga. I know of a few laughter yoga groups in my area that I’ve been meaning to visit [...]
Winter is a tough time of year…and the need to take a break and get away for awhile is important. I did that earlier in the week and went to, perhaps, one of my favorite places in Chicago…the Art Institute. Last year, the Modern Wing designed by award-winning architect Renzo Piano, was added to the [...]
This weekend marks the closing of a place near and dear to me: my local video store. The store, a sort of mom and pop operation has been losing business to Redbox, Netflix, cable television and even online viewing.
Before I moved a couple years ago, I used to live so close to the store that [...]
