Journelism

For myriad reasons both secular and spiritual, we strive to live by a set of rules, a group of key tenets, that will best serve the overall good.

But what of the less obvious of these behaviors? What of the aspects of daily life that are not generally seen, overtly recognized or otherwise reinforced? These can be equally important—crucial even—for lives of integrity and productivity.

Do thoughts and self-regard remain humble in the wake of praise? Is gratitude present no matter how hard the work, how deserving the reward? Is conduct that recognizes and embraces others a natural part of every day, of each interaction?

These are among the keys to lives that make a meaningful difference, not spare behaviors that offer little by way of concrete contributions. On the contrary, those aspects of life that draw little attention can be among the most gratifying.

What we do when no one is looking can be far more revealing than when the cameras are turned on, the people are watching, the actions are scrutinized. Ultimately, everything is uncovered and laid bare; how we account for ourselves can either be a source of stress or peace. Why not simply choose the latter?

The consequences are invariably rewarding.

What happens after you get laid off from that desk job, the one that was doable and steady but never all that exciting? Or perhaps you just had your fill of getting the morning coffee, going in to the office each day, fulfilling your responsibilities with efficiency if not much enthusiasm, and eagerly awaiting that lifeline and timeline du jour: 5 o’clock.

To be able to turn a static life into one of stimulation and achievement is not an easy leap, and often requires courage to live with the resulting uncertainty. But provided that health is not an issue (a circumstance never to be taken for granted, especially among the younger generation to whom death is a mere mask), why not use the layoff notice or cubicle boredom as a springboard? Why not make the jump into something that enhances, that enables a real contribution rather than the contrition that often accompanies the status quo?

Yes of course, there are many office jobs that provide creativity and camaraderie, paychecks and perks, benefits and brainstorms. By all means, go with them and make the most of the resulting opportunities that can be both plentiful and tangible.

But for those who fall within the elevator’s lower floors, take heed and hope. Press the buttons of your personal enthusiasms. Watch the double doors open and walk confidently outside.

There is kaleidoscopic life after that office job.

What is it about the prevalent tendency toward one-upmanship? Why does the ego have to be stoked and nurtured like a growing child? Why is it that pride is not always limited to the more interior pursuits of quiet knowledge, of meaningful achievement, of security borne of discipline and hard work? Must everything be on display?

Credit-card companies, for example, began peddling Gold cards in the 1980s as a way to distinguish the truly elite from the merely creditworthy. The 1990s brought Platinum cards. The 2000s even saw Titanium cards. Will the 2010s offer a Palladium card? Can a Rhodium card be far behind? And will an Iridium card grant to access to Mars, having bought everything else our earthly life could imagine?

Just once I’d like to open my mail and receive a solicitation for an Aluminum card. To be sure, credit cards can be exceptionally useful, even indispensable in some quarters, but they are a tool, not an end. Security manifests itself in many ways, financial security reasonably among them, but as we cannot take it with us, does it make sense to devote lives to its accumulation at the expense of more lasting achievements and contributions, from children and families to communities and social innovation?

Humility and gratitude are the ideal foils to mercenary behavior. Sure, the stained glass in your home’s solarium is stunning, the oceanfront condominium glorious, the Mercedes 700-series a sanctuary, the five-star restaurants indulgent…. But set up a foundation, work for a nonprofit, raise families with integrity to the core—then discover the true meaning of precious mettle.

One’s mental and physical outlook has incalculable benefits upon productivity and creativity.

So that knowledge and $6 will get you a cup of Starbucks, right? But add some vanilla and cinnamon in the form of what you really believe in and watch the price come down while your cup runneth over. This isn’t some pithy statement borne of over-caffeinated wishful thinking, but a universal truism that remains surprisingly lacking across industries and businesses both large and small.

Yet the contrary indicators abound. I was in Whole Foods last week and observed a young bagger in his 20s carry out his repetitive task with such enthusiasm and efficiency that I literally wanted to hire him on the spot. I gave Matt my card and asked him to check in with me in a few months.

At a Starbucks just outside of Philadelphia where I sometimes have informal business meetings, I’ve been struck with barista Vanessa’s clear dedication and charm with customers, whom she more often than not greets with their first names. Or at the Touraine, a 12-story landmark Philadelphia residence, where Andrea graciously watches over the front desk with comprehensive awareness and responsibility. I’d like to be able to hire them as well.

As the nonprofit journelism.org continues to grow and develop into a vibrant online community with singular content of meaningful consequence, I expect to be in a position to hire some of these people. We hear a constant barrage of negativity about the country’s employment situation, about record home foreclosures, about daily struggles just to put food on the table or pay the electric bill. But think about it: those willing to learn, eager to interact with the public, enthusiastic whatever the task at hand and reliable day in and day out will always be able to find work. And not just the kind of work that allows for a simple paycheck, but the kind of fresh pursuits for which they can’t wait to get to each morning.

The quality and nature of what we produce—the kind of productivity we live by—cannot help but sustain not only ourselves, but those we influence and come in contact with each and every day.

How many times are you confronted with meaningful opportunity—in a day, a week, a month? Are you receptive to the signs, willing to pursue them, eager to take your best shot? Doing so may take you out of the comfort zone, may involve some risk, may expose you to criticism and/or failure.

But weigh the consequences of inaction, and you may well be confronted by less money, by mediocre work, by unsatisfying relationships, by an unforgiving calendar, by… by… by.

Often buried within the kaleidoscopic responsibilities each of us must sustain to live on our 21^st-century planet is the plain fact that our time here is ever brief. Given that, how can anyone reasonably choose to waste it? To be sure, an entire week spent by the ocean, sleeping late, eating just-caught seafood, making love, cellphone and sweat a world away, can be just as productive as a solid week of 16-hour office days. Ambition manifests itself in endless ways, yet it returns time and again to making the most of our gifts, our resources, our time.

Are you in your 20s or even 30s, thinking that you have plenty of time? That all those pending decisions can wait awhile? That what’s the difference, you’ll be fine? If that’s the case, then take just a moment to think about how a lack of preparation will manifest itself in your 50s and 60s…. Time flew by and what have you got? What have you done with the self-same life that decades earlier was taken blithely for granted?

Enough retirement money would, of course, be quite nice, but the equation transcends bank balances and 401(k) plans. Will you be able to look back with quiet satisfaction, secure in the firm knowledge that you made the most of the time with which you were graced?

Don’t let it all fly by. Take your best shot, then reap what you sow.