Avatar photoSteven Savage

Aspirations Over Affirmations

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You know all those exercises where you affirm yourself for your career?  How great you are?  How awesome you are?  All the traits you supposedly have that make you fantastic?

Are these really such a good idea?

We keep telling ourselves how great we are – but does that help us actually become great?

We tell ourselves we're wonderful – but do we truly believe it, or are we dodging deeper issues?

Or, when it gets down to it, are we just stroking our own egos with all these affirmations and not really achieving something?  Are we both building ourselves up while not actually improving who we are?  Do Affirmations actually help us do anything?

(Also, aren't they getting a bit annoying?  How much more can people pump themselves up?)

I'm not sure Affirmations are a good idea.  I'm starting to prefer Aspirations.

Aspirations are what we aspire to.  When we make promises to ourselves and others to get better, to improve our skills.   When we state things like "May I become a better programmer" or "I will become a better writer" those are Aspirations.

Aspirations are more realistic, they give us a guide to get where we want to go, and they don't have as much chance for us to deceive ourselves with egotism.   They're what we're aiming for – so we can se the course of our lives.  They leave room for failure – as opposed to tempting us to deceive ourselves.

So next time you're there trying to find ways to rally yourself, consider Aspirations over Affirmations.  It's more realistic.

(It's also less annoying).

– Steven Savage

News of the Day 11/10/2010

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Lots of venture capital and investment today in geeky job news!

Economics/Geekonomics:
A look at home ownership percentages.

The markets hate uncertainty? Barry Ritholtz disagrees. He notes pundits may hate it – but markets thrive on it.

Video:
Video distribution startup Real Gravity nabs $3.2 million in investment. It's a video distribution tool company that provides ad supported video push. Interesting ideas, they got some money, and they're in geektastic San Francisco. Put here to note you should check them out – and their service might be useful as well.

Get the stats on Hulu here.

In case you havent thought of it Google TV is going to mess up web analytics. OK I hadn't thought of this, but yeah, Google TV will change how they're done, collected, and what they mean.

Video Games:
Methodology watch and resume watch: Social game company Summerlight comes out of stealth mode, won't put a version of its game (Spa Retreat) on Facebook, and is forming an alliance with an indie TV company. No I'm not sure if this is going to work, but it takes enough risks I'd like to see what happens. Even if this fails, it took a lot of cajones to try.

Online game-development platform and monetization company Turbulenz got $5 million in VC. They have a good pedigree, so I'd see what they van do – it's a little late in the game though.

Atari sales down, but losses not so bad. Sounds like they're changing their business model to mix online and freemium and fewer but more profitable games.

Bonus Geekery: Someone making a GameBoy emulator in Javascript and HTML 5.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: Can social games make it without Facebook?

– Steven Savage

Thoughts On The Apple Store Model

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So last column I posted on how the Verizon Stores seem to be following in the Apple Store model.  I also noted that these stores give people what they want, so frankly I expect similar models to pop up all over.  I'll call this model  . . .  OK I'll call it the Apple Store Model.

Now it's time to ask what this means progeek wise.  A few speculations:

  • Set Expectations.  I think the Apple Store model will spread – and soon it will become the norm.  Companies need to keep this in mind in setting their store models – or risk seeming insensitive to consumers and behind the times.  If you work in a consumer electronic company or dealer, you need to follow this.
  • A Better Starting Point.  These stores may be better places for people to launch progeek careers (or idle during tough times in the job market) since they're going to require more technical and customer savvy.  People will learn more – and employees who spent time at these stores will be better regarded.
  • Changes in Footprint.  Some stores aren't going to shift to the new footprint easy.  Renovation, moving, merging . . . all that is possible for individual stores.  Shut downs, delays, and so forth may affect people working there.  Work in architecture or at any of these stores, and it's a factor.
  • Location, Location, Relocation.  With the footprint of these stores, and the requirements for staff, some may just plain relocate to make them more profitable for the investment.  Your job at these stores may go away – or an opportunity may arrive.
  • A Destination Model.  Some of these stores seem to be "destination-like" – the kind you go to for awhile, the kind that have many things to do and many shiny things.  It changes consumer habits.  That's something to follow in general.

So a little speculation on what the Apple Model means progeek wise.

– Steven Savage