self-help
I was recently rummaging through my local bookstore, searching for the next pearl to unveil in this space, when I came across a book that stopped me in my tracks just because of its title: Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking. This slim, 122-page volume, written by David Bayles and Ted Orland (Capra Print Editions, 1993), is so provocative and insightful that I think I could fill a year’s worth of columns with my observations of how what they say ties into what we do as watershapers. Keeping it brief, however, let’s begin by assuming that what watershapers do is
Last year was the worst I’ve endured since I was a novice in the pool and spa industry. At the time, I found myself taking comfort in the fact that I wasn’t alone, that the recession was to blame for my ebbing sales and that we were all in the same boat. Misery, it seems, loved company. But I snapped out of it late last year. I now believe (as I should have last year) that when you constantly tell yourself things are bad, you almost ensure that they will be that way and stay that way. What I did to escape the trap was to
When times are tough, I sometimes find it useful to think about the things in life that I’m able to control while giving less thought to those I can’t. The plain fact is, no matter how troubling the news is or how tough the economy makes our working lives, nothing can ruin our positive attitude if we don’t let it. In other words and no matter what, we are always in charge of how we greet the world. That’s a point I’ve had confirmed by re-reading The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino (Frederick Fell Publishing, 1964). To my mind, there are few books that truly warrant the label “classic,” and this is one of those masterpieces. I regard it among the most inspiring and life-altering books I’ve ever read – and I’m apparently not alone: It has
If you've yet to read any of the works of business guru Tom Peters, you're in for a real treat. A few years ago Peters wrote Re-Imagine, a book that established his reputation as a leader in the field of business philosophy and education. Last year, he released a trilogy of new books that expand on the themes and discussions that have made him both well known and hugely respected. Although published in three separate volumes, this series - Tom Peters Essentials: Leadership, Tom Peters Essentials: Talent and Tom Peters Essentials: Trends (all from DK Publishing, 2005) - is basically a single, remarkably well-written treatise loaded with
Watershaping can be so demanding a profession that it's easy to lose sight of the fact that what we do should really be fun and enjoyable. That's why I bring up two books this month that make a case for approaching your work in ways that encourage a daily sense of joy and adventure for both you and your clients. The first is simply titled Fish! Written by Stephen C. Lundin, Harry Paul and John Christensen (Hyperion, 2000), it's a modern parable about a woman named Mary who has taken over as manager of her company's toxic-waste management division. It's a job with horrid potential, but as the story goes, Mary is helped by a visit to the famous (and very real) Pike Place Market in Seattle, where she's captivated not only by the wonderful fish on sale, but also by the joy and pleasure she derives from shopping there. What Mary learns is how to
