Kevin W. McCarthy

On-Purpose Profile: Hugh MacLeod of GapingVoid.com

permissions granted for use of the above cartoon by Hugh MacLeod

In spite of my classic business education and conservative ways, I have a deep appreciation for artists who tear into the essence of the human condition to challenge the traditionally held views of society.  All is not right since that one bite in the Garden of Eden.

A recent post I saw in Copyblogger.com by Hugh MacLeod inspired me to dig into his story.  His artwork brought a smile of irreverent recognition for the prevalent challenges with so many in the workforce.  Hugh's website, GapingVoid.com, includes a number of edgy "Cube Grenades" that he fiendishly lobs into the lives of his corporate captive audiences.  Take a scroll around his cartoon log. Be sure to subscribe to his daily cartoons for an emotionally explosive reminder of how your work can be a noble expression of your purpose... or not! 

If you're a fan of the hit TV show The Office, then for sure, Hugh's artwork will curl your lips upward.  A bit of parody mixed with a dose of purpose may be just the recipe for prodding you to be on-purpose.

Hugh provides us with a great example of a person with a love and talent for something that doesn't fit the mold of what's expected.  Instead of compromising who he is to become someone he isn't, he's growing who he is in order to be more of whom he can become.  Sure, he's working hard at it!  Sure, you're working hard too.  Hugh provides yet another profile of a person building a life where the inner work and outer work are aligned and integrated in a productive and profitable manner.

Thanks Hugh for your Cube Grenades that blow holes in the facade of living with contented, unexamined mediocrity.  You're encouraging us all to step into the boldness of being on-purpose:  Be Yourself> Prosper> Make A Difference.

On-Purpose Minutes

• Is Your Life On Autopilot? (kevinwmccarthy.com)
• Is Your Leadership Being Choked? (kevinwmccarthy.com)
• Can I Profit And Gain My Soul? (kevinwmccarthy.com)
• Can You Put It Into Words? (kevinwmccarthy.com)
• Do You Want More Balance In Your Life? (kevinwmccarthy.com)
• Are You Paying Attention? (kevinwmccarthy.com)
• How Do You Build Your Confidence? (kevinwmccarthy.com)
• So How Are Your Shortcuts Working? (kevinwmccarthy.com)

Michael McMillan's Pink Bat Movie / Whiteboard

Michael is a really cool and creative colleague.  We connected again recently and he shared his latest message in Pink Bat.  This is a book that will color your world differently!

Watch this amazing video of his latest book, Pink Bat, then tell me what you think about it!

Buy Pink Bat at Michael's site, order it, and, maybe you can get it signed!

Be On-Purpose!

Kevin

 

Watch & Lead: The On-Purpose Minutes

• How Do You Build Your Confidence? (kevinwmccarthy.com)
• Can I Profit And Gain My Soul? (kevinwmccarthy.com)
• Ambition. At What price? (kevinwmccarthy.com)
• What's The Deal With Social Media? (kevinwmccarthy.com)
• Can You Put It Into Words? (kevinwmccarthy.com)

Will You Be A Boom or Bust?

   

The following text of this On-Purpose Business Minute is dedicated to Baby Boomers, but the video is applicable to anyone in, entering, or exiting the workforce. 

Think of a Baby Boomer you know – he or she may be your parents or you.  Three big trends are converging to create an economic swirl of circumstances that will define their next twenty to thirty years.

1. Baby Boomers are now hitting retirement age in records numbers.
2. The world economy is in the tank and so are many retirement and pension plans.
3. Baby Boomers are retiring from jobs, but not from life, or the desire to keep earning.

Many Boomers will find themselves with plenty of time on their hands, a desire to make difference, and a smaller retirement nest egg or pension than anticipated. Rather than heading for assisted living, they'll be doing a "working retirement" – some by choice and others by necessity.

So what's your plan for retirement?  Many of your friends may be saying, "I want to retire to Florida (or Arizona) to play golf, eat out, see movies, read books, relax, and visit my grandchildren."  Some of you may be thinking, "I'm interested in beginning my own business."  I hope so!

Perry James is a character appearing in both The On-Purpose Person and The On-Purpose Business.  He's a retired gentleman who provides mentor-ship and consulting services to a variety of small and medium sized business owners.  

Perry is based on a dear friend and mentor of mine - Perry Nies, an MIT graduate with a Harvard Business School MBA, and a retired business executive and owner.   Perry engineered me through some true business challenges twenty-five years ago.  To this day we remain friends and are connected through church.  Perry is an engaged and vital contributor who still consults and is involved in prison ministries.  He's also a role model for many Boomers of how to have an On-Purpose retirement.

The Baby Boom began in 1945.  In 2011 and beyond, the wave of Baby Boomers is being presented with a remarkable opportunity to dream and plan their "retirement."  Many will become "retired professionally," but seek to keep an active hand and mind in the affairs of business and life.  I know for a fact that the Millennial and Gen X Generations need their wisdom, experience, and skills. I'm at the tail end of the Baby Boom and I value their counsel.

What if the most on-purpose years of your career are just around the corner... and you never make the turn because you hadn't planned on it?

This blog post is simply my way of putting the challenge before the retiring Baby Boomers - keep Booming (and blooming).  Start planning new businesses, outline books you've always wanted to write, offer your talent, be a mentor, stay connected, think ahead, and develop your business plan now not later.  Once you're out of the flow of activity, most never return because they've fallen behind and the effort to get back up to speed is overwhelming. 

Avoid getting caught short at retirement without a life and work plan.  Without one, you're likely to become a Baby Buster instead of a Baby Boomer. 

To Do: Begin writing what your future could be.

Register now for the October 27 Preview

of this 4-week Experience in Business Building.

 

Related articles

• Are You An Explorer? (kevinwmccarthy.com)
• 10 Reasons Baby Boomers are Delaying Retirement (money.usnews.com)
• For Boomers, Retirement Jobs Can Be a Challenge (boomercafe.com)
• Boomers wanting to work past retirement age find limited options (usatoday.com)

Authorship: Making Yourself Write

Image by brainpop_uk via Flickr

About once a week a would-be writer approaches me to ask for my pearls of wisdom for how to write a book.  The answer is simple: start, finish, edit, rewrite, edit, share, rewrite, and stop short of being totally satisfied.  (Tip: You will never be completely satisfied.)

The first step, "Start!" is the most difficult.  After that the Finish step is the most difficult, followed by the edit step... you get the picture.  Writing is work folks. 

I stumbled upon 50 Strategies For Making Yourself Work, an article by Jerry Oltion.  It offers great advice for getting the writing process started.  These 50 strategies are accurate and spiced with humor.  

So read (oh, yes, and apply) Jerry Oltion's advice.  Surely, there is at least one of these strategies to get your book started sooner rather than later.  So now you know how to write a book - easy wasn't it? 

How to sell a book?  First, the writing is the easy part.   Need I say more?

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Kurt Vonnegut and Drama in Stories and Life

Image via Wikipedia

I stumbled on this blog post about real life and drama by Derek Sivers about Kurt Vonnegut - an unknown person to me but an iconoclast of some note.   For that alone, I respect him for being more on-purpose than most people.

Vonnegut's chart was enlightening because of its simplicity.  Drama accentuates the ups and downs.  Real life tends to be more moderated (unless you are a 15 year old teenage girl). 

Folks who self-impose healthy drama with exploration in their lives I find to be engaging and interesting.   People who impose unhealthy drama I prefer to avoid. 

Hmmm - just how bold am I living?

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• "Who Am I This Time?" by Kurt Vonnegut (gointothestory.com)

And the Winner of the Contest Is... Me!

Jeevan Sivasubramaniam of Berrett-Koehler Publishers produces the weekly BK Communique.  An occasional feature is a puzzler.  His final contest of 2009 caught my eye.  Here it is:

Drum roll please, I won the contest.  Here is Jeevan's most recent posting:

"I issued this challenge. Some people came close, but no one answered correctly.  The answer? You should definitely not take my bet -- here's why.

"Kevin McCarthy submitted a response that was just so, um, creative that I had to give him a free book. (And he kindly sent me a copy of his book.) You can read Kevin's response to the challenge here.

Dear Jeevan,

No, I will not accept your bet in A Game of Cards.   Here's why:

After reading the challenge, I easily recognized it as a probability and statistics question.   Upon the thought of engaging in the calculation of the odds of winning versus the payoff, I felt this knot in my stomach – the same one I used to feel in undergraduate and graduate school when I had to take probability and statistics classes.   My mind swirled with permutations, methods, and calculations as to how to attack and solve your challenge.  My competitive juices began to kick in because I had to be the first to solve it in order to win a book and have a shrine in the lobby.  Fortunately, I'm on the East Coast so I have an advantage over those later risers in the Central and Western time zones. 

Recognizing this strange mix of competitiveness and cards, I immediately converted from worshiping in an Episcopal church to an ultra conservative Baptist church with Pentecostal and Charismatic leanings.   This means I can neither play card games nor gamble.  Because I don't smoke, drink, or dance (lack of any sense of rhythm per my wife) anyway, my transition ten minutes ago to my new Thursday morning church is going along fundamentally well.   Never doubt the power and practicality of my conversion and the values of my new denomination.  The knot in my stomach is gone - healed in an instant!  Here is proof of the peace that passes all understanding as it washed through me.  PTL! 

Sure, you were likely expecting some brainiac to give an answer to the challenge using math.  I, however, have claimed the high moral ground in a triumph of faith over math to come to the answer.  Finally, should this be the winning and timely response, then I will accept a book but must decline the shrine in the lobby.  I can have no part in false idols.

Be On-Purpose!

Kevin

Kevin W. McCarthy
CEO, On-Purpose Partners, LLC

Here was Jeevan's notice to me of being the book winner:

"Never has an answer been so blatantly wrong and yet seemed so right.  So, what the hell, for sheer audacity and creativity, you win a book."

Cover via Amazon

Jeevan was true to his word and sent me The New Organizational Wealth, the book of my choice.  He was a good sport so I sent him The On-Purpose Person.

Fall In Love With Your Life

Maria Carter and I met at an On-Purpose Person workshop I conducted in San Diego around 1995.  She bubbled with enthusiasm for life and people.  She has a voice and spirit that is positively uplifting.

At the time we met, Maria had a dream of helping people learn to love themselves more fully.   I'm proud to recommend her book, Fall In  Love With Your Life Forever.  This work is an expression of her purpose and is true gift to women who struggle with their inner critic.  Go to her website and order the book today. 

Guys, it is a great gift to give to women in your life.  Wives, daughters, and mothers alike will benefit from calming their self critical voice and allowing their true selves to emerge on-purpose.  Not only will her life be better, but so will yours.   If momma is happy, then everyone is happy.  ; )   

Learning to Lead Starts With Yourself

Watch this video interview I did with Factor77 to gain insight into on-purpose concepts.  Some of the questions asked and answered are below.

• Was there something you went through personally that made you write your book?
• What is your methodology for taking a step back in today’s world and being able to figure out what the heck you're doing?
• Why do you say a balanced life is a myth?
• So if you're doing what you love there should be no balance?
• How do you go out and find the right people to keep you motivated?
• How do you know when it’s time to stop and look around at what you're doing and take that first step?
• How do you feel satisfied at the end of the day instead of stressed out?

Dr. Wayne Andersen

What a wonderful experience to speak at the Take Shape For Life National Convention.   Here I am pictured with Dr. Wayne Andersen, co-founder of the this amazing division of Medifast, Inc.

In addition to giving the Saturday morning keynote address to the 800 plus in attendance, I signed books for another two and half hours.  It is always such an honor and privilege to sign books at events.  Many people are a bit embarrassed to ask for a signature.   With me, please don't be.   Think of it this way, what if someone were to walk up to you and ask for your autograph... you would be flattered.  I am too. 

One of the true joys....

The On-Purpose Person

The On-Purpose Person
Making Your Life Make Sense

Let's skip the usual jacket cover hype here.  Instead, I'll post bits and pieces of the back story - how the book and message of Being On-Purpose came into being.

There isn't a week that goes by when I don't get asked by someone about becoming an author.  It seems everyone wants to write a book.  Few actually step up to the challenge - and it is a challenge.  Even fewer find the commercial success they expected.  So you better understand why you're writing a book in the first place.

Please post your comments or questions here about becoming an author or about my books or publishing experience in general.

Ask YOUR Questions here about publishing a book and I'll share one best selling author's perspective.

Be On-Purpose!

Kevin

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