A Value-Centered(ˈsen(t)ərd) Career(kəˈrir)

By Steve Pavlina

How do you know if you’re creating and delivering(dəˈlivər) real value?

Ask yourself these questions: If you stopped doing what you do, who would care? Who would object loudly? Who would revolt(rəˈvōlt)?

If you’re creating and delivering genuine(ˈjenyo͞oən) value, and you suddenly stop, people will notice. People will definitely(ˈdef(ə)nətlē) care. Your contribution will be seriously(ˈsirēəslē) missed. There will practically(ˈpraktək(ə)lē) be rioting(ˈrīət) in the streets.

Such people may not even credit(ˈkredət) the value to you directly, especially if your contribution remains somewhat anonymous(əˈnänəməs), but they’ll soon detect(dəˈtekt) that something important is missing from their lives. Even if they don’t know your name, the removal(rəˈmo͞ovəl) of your ongoing value creation and delivery will have a definite effect.

If, however, hardly anyone cares that you stopped, that should tell you something. It means that people just didn’t value your creative output… not really. What you were doing was either unnecessary or easily replaced. You weren’t yet living as a conscious, self-actualized(ˈakCHo͞oəˌlīz) human being. You held back from shining(ˈSHīniNG) as brightly(ˈbrītlē) as you could have.

You have a choice(CHois) of whether or not you want this to be your fate(fāt). You may have been conditioned(kənˈdiSHən) from a young age to view your life path in terms of getting a job and making money. Go ahead and live that way for a few years if you think it’s intelligent(inˈteləjənt). You’ll soon see what a pointless, soulless(ˈsōlˌləs) dead-end it really is.

When you finally begin to hear that subtle(ˈsətl) inner voice screaming at you, “This is just so wrong,” realize that it’s still possible to live a life of fun, freedom, and fulfillment — and still make plenty(ˈplen(t)ē) of money and not starve(stärv). But in order to get there, you have to focus on doing what really matters. You must clear your head of all that socially(ˈsōSHəlē) conditioned nonsense(ˈnänˌsens) and stop doing what everyone else is doing.

…
https://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2008/12/how-to-make-lots-of-money-during-a-recession/

to help the species(ˈspēsēz, ˈspēSHēz)

at the last breath(breTH)

By Henry H. Walker

a “bucket(ˈbəkət) list” has never particularly appealed(əˈpēl) to me,
the checking off on a list,
almost like a list of chores(CHôr) that need doing,

I do judge(jəj) my life, though,
particularly during the last 57 years,
all that time since my Daddy(ˈdadē) was there,
and suddenly(ˈsədn-lē) wasn’t,

if I’m breathing my last breath,
what will I regret(rəˈɡret)?
what will I be proud of?

when my brother was slipping(slip) away,
I kept seeing him as a little boy,
so scared(ske(ə)rd) of what was coming,

many of us have the dream of a sudden test,
and we’re not prepared,

the concept(ˈkänˌsept) of St.(sānt) Peter works for me,
a way to personify(pərˈsänəˌfī) a celestial(səˈlesCHəl) judge,
who knows my heart, and my actions,
whether I’ve lived well,

karma(ˈkärmə) works just as well,
a sentence we all serve as that of Brahma(ˈbrämə) within
seeks to burn off impurities(imˈpyo͝orədē)
and reach toward clarity(ˈklerədē),

my soul(sōl) wants to learn, to improve myself,
an artificial(ˌärdəˈfiSHəl) natural selection that works
to help our species be worth our time,
I despair(dəˈsper) when others lose(lo͞oz) their way
and choose money and sensory(ˈsensərē) gratification(ˌɡradəfəˈkāSH(ə)n) as their values,

I want the world to be better because I lived,
not indifferent that I am gone.

https://henryspoetry.blogspot.com/2019/07/to-help-species.html

Surrender(səˈrendər)

By Leo Babauta

…

I am not advocating(ˈadvəkət) a complete(kəmˈplēt) giving up of control(kənˈtrōl) of all areas(ˈe(ə)rēə) of your life. Obviously(ˈäbvēəslē) this could lead to financial(fəˈnan(t)SHəl, fīˈnan(t)SHəl) ruin(ˈro͞oin), the ruination(ˌro͞oəˈnāSHən) of relationships and your work and health and more.

But before we grasp(grasp) for control(kənˈtrōl), we can try surrender as a way to practice with whatever is coming up … and perhaps to accept things as they are a bit more, and need to control less.

For example … I might be feeling like my health is out of control, and feeling some anxiety(aNGˈzīədē) about it … and so I want to go on a diet and set up an exercise plan and get everything under control. Now, these are not bad intentions, but we know that this kind of fear(fi(ə)r)-based approach(əˈprōCH) often doesn’t work. You never stop feeling out of control.

So instead(inˈsted), I practice surrendering, and feel the fears coming up for me. I relax(rəˈlaks) a bit and see that I’m suffering, that I could use some self-love. I also notice that instead of being unhappy with my health, I could love my body, love this moment as it is, even if it contains some pain and discomfort. Relaxing, surrendering, loving things as they are … I can set an intention to love myself with nourishing(ˈnə-ri-,ˈnəriSHiNG) food and movement(ˈmo͞ovmənt).

The surrendering doesn’t mean that I don’t take action — it means that I accept things as they are, and yet bring a loving intention into the equation(əˈkwāZHən). How can I love things as they are and have my actions come from a place of love as well?

Coming from a place of love instead of fear is powerfully transformative(tran(t)sˈfôrmədiv).

And even if I never take that loving action in the future … the present is transformed as well. This moment is completely different for me if I’m not grasping for the illusion(iˈlo͞oZHən) of control, but instead loving what is.

…
https://zenhabits.net/surrender/

15 Years

Today is our fifteenth wedding(ˈwediNG) anniversary(ˌanəˈvərsərē). 15 years ago today, my wife and I gathered with friends and family to commit to join together as a couple and family.

We met five years before we got married, and we got engaged(inˈɡājd, enˈɡājd) on Christmas Eve of 2002. I was a bit nervous about proposing(prəˈpōz), so I told the class of several hundred students that I was teaching that day about my plans in order to give me some pressure(ˈpreSHər). I kneeled(nēl) down in the snow in the middle of the PKU campus(ˈkampəs), and she said yes!

People often say that “marriage(ˈmarij) is hard”, and it’s true. Two people sharing their lives together requires a lot of communication and compromise(ˈkämprəˌmīz), and in moments that can be challenging and painful(ˈpānfəl). But it’s also a beautiful thing to work together on decisions, and to share memories that are collected over the years. We are building something together, even when we don’t know exactly what it is, and that something grows in importance and meaning as time goes on.

There used to be only two of us, and now there are four. Our boys have brought us more joy that we ever could have imagined(iˈmajən), and also challenged us to grow in new ways. With one child, it suddenly became hard to find time alone(əˈlōn), but we reveled(ˈrevəl) in watching his every move. With two children, it’s hard to find time together with each child on their own, but it’s such a gift to watch them interact(ˌin(t)ərˈakt).

We’ve had many adventures(adˈvenCHər,əd-) over the last fifteen years. I am grateful(ˈgrātfəl) for them, and I am grateful to have a partner to share adventures with in the years to come.

‘Save your money’: no evidence(ˈevədəns) brain(brān) health supplements(ˈsəpləmənt) work, say experts(ˈekˌspərt)

Worldwide panel(ˈpanl) says it cannot recommend(ˌrekəˈmend) healthy(ˈhelTHē) people take ‘memory supplements’

By Nicola Davis(ˈdāvis)

Dietary(ˈdīəˌterē) supplements such as vitamins(ˈvītəmən) do nothing to boost(bo͞ost) brain health and are simply a waste(wāst) of money for healthy people, experts have said(sed).

According to figures(ˈfigyər) from the US, sales of so-called “memory supplements” doubled between 2006 and 2015, reaching a value of $643m, while more than a quarter(ˈkwôrdər) of adults over the age of 50 in the US regularly(ˈreɡyələrlē) take supplements in an attempt to keep their brain in good health.

But while bottles(ˈbädl), packets and jars(jär) line the shelves(SHelvz) of health food shops – with claims(klām) that they help maintain(mānˈtān) brain function or mental(ˈmentl) performance – a worldwide panel of experts says at present(priˈzent,ˈprezənt) there is little evidence that these supplements help healthy older people, and that they could even pose(pōz) a risk to health.

“There is no convincing(kənˈvinsiNG) evidence to recommend dietary supplements for brain health in healthy older adults,” they write. “Supplements have not been demonstrated(ˈdemənˌstrāt) to delay(dəˈlā) the onset(ˈänˌset,ˈôn-) of dementia(dəˈmen(t)SH(ē)ə), nor can they prevent(prəˈvent), treat(trēt) or reverse(rəˈvərs) Alzheimer’s(alcaimər) disease(dəˈzēz) or other neurological(ˌn(y)o͝orəˈläjəkəl) diseases that cause dementia.”

However, the team note a lack of certain(ˈsərtn) nutrients(ˈn(y)o͞otrēənt), such as vitamins B9 and B12, appear to be linked to problems with cognitive(ˈkäɡnədiv) function or brain health, and that supplements might prove useful in people with deficiencies(dəˈfiSHənsē). About 20% of people over the age of 60 in the UK are thought to be lacking in vitamin B12.

But the experts stress it is important to consult(kənˈsəlt) a doctor before starting any supplements, and that it is better to get nutrients from a healthy diet(ˈdīət).

…
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/jun/29/save-your-money-no-evidence-brain-health-supplements-work-say-experts

Without a good reason, they won’t bother.

By Derek Sivers

Someone sees you carrying(ˈkarē) a guitar(ɡəˈtär) and asks, “What kind of music do you play?”

You say, “There’s no way to describe(dəˈskrīb) it. You just have to check it out. We’re playing next Thursday night at 11. You should come.”

Imagine reversing(rəˈvərs) the situation:

You meet a man that says he’s running a small business.

You ask what his company does. He says, “There’s no way to describe it. You just have to check it out. We’re open next Thursday for just one hour. You should come.”

Would you really bother to go check out his business if he couldn’t even tell you why you should? Of course not!

So how do you expect(ikˈspekt) anyone to come hear you play?

You have to give people a good reason! Say a few words to make them curious(ˈkyo͝orēəs).

When they ask what kind of music you do, they’re actively(ˈaktivlē) hoping you’ll give them a reason to care.

If you don’t give them a reason in that very moment, the opportunity(ˌäpərˈt(y)o͞onədē) is gone.

https://sivers.org/whycare

Review(rəˈvyo͞o) of Contact(ˈkänˌtakt)

By Roger Ebert

“Contact” is a film that takes place at the intersection(ˌin(t)ərˈsekSH(ə)n) of science(ˈsīəns), politics(ˈpäləˌtiks) and faith(fāTH). Those are three subjects that don’t always fit easily together. In the film, an alien(ˈālyən,ˈālēən) intelligence(inˈteləjəns) transmits an image of three pages of encrypted(inˈkript, enˈkript) symbols(ˈsimbəl). It is clear where the corners of each page are. It is also clear that the three corners are intended(inˈtendəd) to come together in some way to make single image. Scientists are baffled(ˈbafəl) in their attempts to bring the pages together. The solution, when we see it, provides(prəˈvīd) an Eureka(yo͞oˈrēkə, yəˈrēkə) Moment. It is so simple, and yet so difficult to conceive(kənˈsēv) of. It may be intended as a sort of intelligence test.

Watching the film again after 14 years, I was startled(ˈstärdl) by how bold(bōld) it is. Its heroine(ˈherōən) is a radio astronomer(əˈstränəmər) named Dr. Eleanor(eˈlənor) Arroway(arōwā) (Jodie Foster(ˈfäs-,ˈfôstər)), who is an atheist(ˈāTHēˌist). In the film she forms a cautious(ˈkôSHəs) relationship with Palmer(ˈpä(l)mər) Joss(jäs) (Matthew(ˈmaTHyo͞o) McConaughey(məkänəhē), a believer in God who writes about science. Key roles are played by science advisors(ədˈvīzər) to the President(ˈprez(ə)dənt,ˈprezəˌdent), who see aliens, God and messages from space all in cynical(ˈsinək(ə)l) political(pəˈlidək(ə)l) terms. They justify(ˈjəstəˌfī) their politics with the catch-all motive(ˈmōdiv) of “national defense(diˈfens,ˈdēˌfens).”

When the movie(ˈmo͞ovē) was released(rəˈlēs) in July 1997 I had more or less the same beliefs I have now about the existence(igˈzistəns) of God and the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe. Yet reading my review I find the movie didn’t seem as brave(brāv) to me then as it does now. Perhaps that’s because I’ve since become involved in so much discussion about Creationism(krēˈāSHəˌnizəm), another topic that stands at the intersection of science, politics and faith. Hollywood(ˈhälēˌwo͝od) treats movies like a polite(pəˈlīt) dinner(ˈdinər) party: Don’t bring up religion(rəˈlijən) or politics.

…
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-contact-1997

How to Make Lots of Money During a Recession(rəˈseSH(ə)n)

By Steve Pavlina

A recession is possibly the best time to launch a new business or to expand(ikˈspand) an existing(igˈzistiNG) one. It’s also a great time to get ahead(əˈhed) in your career. I know this sounds counter-intuitive(ˌkoun(t)ərinˈt(y)o͞oədiv), so let me ‘splain.

First, the media goes nuts(nəts) during a recession. They turn a little bit of negativity into a mountain(ˈmount(ə)n) of pessimism(ˈpesəˌmizəm). This makes a lot of people financially paranoid(ˈparəˌnoid). People become socially conditioned to expect(ikˈspekt) the worst.

If you buy into this social hysteria(həˈstirēə, həˈsterēə), you become a victim(ˈviktəm) too.

But if you tune(t(y)o͞on) out such stupidity(st(y)o͞oˈpidədē) (not watching TV helps a lot) and maintain(mānˈtān) a grip on rational(ˈraSHnəl,ˈraSHənl) thought, you’ll see some amazing opportunities popping(päp) up everywhere you look.

During such times people get scared(ske(ə)rd) and start cutting back on expenses. They cut some of the fluff(fləf) from their lives. They stop buying so much stuff they don’t need.

This causes some businesses to do poorly(ˈpo͝orlē,ˈpôr-), especially businesses that don’t provide(prəˈvīd) stuff we really need. We can live without new credit(ˈkredət) cards and gas-guzzling(ˈɡəzəl) SUVs for a while. Those non-essentials(əˈsen(t)SHəl) can be put off.

We also become more sensitive(ˈsensədiv) to receiving genuine(ˈjenyo͞oən) value. When we spend money, we want to make sure we’re getting a fair(fe(ə)r) deal(dēl).

Consequently, businesses that provide genuine value can actually do better during a recession. More people will flock(fläk) to those businesses in tough times, while the fluff businesses will become more and more paranoid.

…
https://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2008/12/how-to-make-lots-of-money-during-a-recession/

Careers(kəˈri(ə)r) at Zeus(zo͞os)

Work at Zeus and help us build the most convenient(kənˈvēnyənt) and trusted housing experience in every city.

Radical(ˈradək(ə)l) openness
We build trust through transparency(tranˈsparənsē)
We’re a no-secrets company. We encourage cross department(dəˈpärtmənt) collaboration(kəˌlabəˈrāSHən). Our culture thrives(THrīv) on face to face communication and by making information accessible. Our team is always open and we have a culture of giving every employee(emˈploi-ē,ˌemploiˈē) visibility(ˌvizəˈbilədē) into all aspects(ˈaspekt) of the company.

Productive & Progressive(prəˈgresiv)
We get things done efficiently(əˈfiSHəntlē)
We are disciplined(ˈdisəˌplind). We embrace(emˈbrās) a natural get-stuff-done attitude — but one focused on priorities(prīˈôrədē), not minutia(məˈn(y)o͞oSHēˌē, məˈn(y)o͞oSHēˌī). We face challenges with optimism(ˈäptəˌmizəm) and we check our egos(ˈēgō) at the door.

Benefits and perks(pərk)

PARKING & COMMUTER(kəˈmyo͞odər) PASS
Commuting(kəˈmyo͞ot) doesn’t have to suck(sək). We provide everyone with a commuter pass or subsidy(ˈsəbsədē) for parking.

ALL THE GEAR(gi(ə)r) YOU’LL NEED
We provide everyone on the team with a new laptop(ˈlapˌtäp) computer, headphones of your choosing, and external(ikˈstərnl) monitors(ˈmänədər).

LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT
To honor(ˈänər) our team’s commitment to personal growth, we provide education or certificate(sərˈtifəkət) expense(ikˈspens) coverage(ˈkəv(ə)rij) to further their education.

GENEROUS(ˈjenərəs) PAID(pād) TIME OFF
Every Zeus employee gets 20 days of paid time off in addition(əˈdiSHən) to sick(sik) days, bereavement(bəˈrēvmənt, bēˈrēvmənt), and volunteering(ˌvälənˈtir) hours.

16 WEEKS OF PARENTAL(pəˈren(t)l) LEAVE
We offer a 16 weeks paid and an additional 10 weeks unpaid parental leave.

CATERED(ˈkādər) LUNCH EVERYDAY
Everyday we provide free and delicious lunches for everyone. Plus a fully stocked(stäk) kitchen.

401(K) + MATCHING(ˈmaCHiNG)
Save early for retirement(rəˈtī(ə)rmənt). We offer a generous 401k plan with up to 4% matching.

HEALTH & WELLNESS
We provide comprehensive(ˌkämprəˈhensiv) health, dental(ˈdentl) and vision(ˈviZHən) benefits for you and your family.

https://zeusliving.com/careers

Pet-ownership is booming(ˈbo͞omiNG) across the world

It seems not to be doing the owners as much good as they think

From The Economist(əˈkänəməst)

Martin(ˈmärtn) salomón(säləmən) has brought(brôt) his dog, Manolo(mənōlō), to the “canine(ˈkāˌnīn) area(ˈe(ə)rēə)” of a public park in Condesa(kənˈdisə), a wealthy(ˈwelTHē) district(ˈdistrikt) of Mexico(ˈmeksəkō, ˈmāhēkō) City. As he watches the happy, free-running animals, he reflects on how dogs’ lives have changed. Mr Salomón, who was born in the northern(ˈnôrT͟Hərn) state of Sonora(səˈnôrə), recalls that his grandmother had two dogs—a black one called Negro(ˈnēgrō) and a white one called Güero(gwārō), meaning pale(pāl). They were seldom(ˈseldəm) allowed in the house. And today? Recently he attended(əˈtend) a birthday party for a friend’s dog, with a cake, candles(ˈkandl) and a party hat(hat) for the pooch(po͞oCH).

In South Korea(kəˈrēə), some people who keep cats refer(rəˈfər) to themselves not as “owners” or even “parents”—a more condescending(ˌkändəˈsendiNG) term that appeared in America in the 1990s and has spread(spred). Instead they are “butlers(ˈbətlər)”. Some take their feline(ˈfēˌlīn) masters to a cat hotel in the Gangnam district of Seoul(sōl). It resembles(rəˈzembəl) a beauty studio(ˈst(y)o͞odēˌō), with plump(pləmp) cushions(ˈko͝oSHən) and pastel(paˈstel) colours(ˈkələr). The rooms and suites, costing $35-50 for a day, are equipped(əˈkwip) with ridges(rij) and tunnels(ˈtənl) for the cats to play in, as well as cameras and microphones(ˈmīkrəˌfōn). “It’s so the cats can hear their butlers’ voices,” explains the owner, Cho Hanna.

Keeping pets is hardly novel(ˈnävəl); nor is pampering(ˈpampər) them. Archaeologists(ˌärkēˈäləjəst) have discovered graves(gräv,ˈgrāvz) from more than 10,000 years ago containing the skeletons(ˈskelitn) of humans and dogs. Some of the dogs suffered from diseases(dəˈzēz), and were presumably(prəˈz(y)o͞oməblē) cared for by their owners. Eighteenth-century portraits(ˈpôrtrət, ˈpôrˌtrāt) are full of well-groomed(gro͝om,gro͞om) animals. But never have so many people kept pets, nor have they fawned(fän,fôn) over them as much as they do now. For better or worse, an almost global pet culture is emerging(əˈmərj).

…
https://www.economist.com/international/2019/06/22/pet-ownership-is-booming-across-the-world