I have never created a New Year's resolution. Pretty surprising, right? While I'm a big advocate for goal-setting, I have never found January 1 to hold any special significance for me. This year is different. OutGrowth's anniversary coincides with end of the calendar year, so in order for me to improve as a business owner, leader and person, I am dedicated to mapping out 2019 resolutions. But here is the important distinction: I am committed to intentionally intertwining lifestyle goals that will get me closer to building the life and career I seek. That is why this month's issue on building our way forward and resolution-crafting is so special. We focus on working toward a career that ignites you and a way of living that delights you. We bring to you our very first En Root student feature, an important piece on grace, and top resources for making your resolutions a reality. Here's to making 2019 the best year yet, not only in terms of professional success, but in happiness, adventure and connection. Grow out with us. |
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This Month at OutGrowth New Year, New Growth The En Root Scoop From Resolution to Reality Our Top Podcast,Ted Talk Playlist and Book for Tackling 2019! |
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When you’re a kid, it seems that every adult you encounter is constantly asking the all-important question, what do you want to be when you grow up? Some answers are uniquely imaginative such as an astronaut or super hero. Others come up with more practical responses like a doctor or lawyer. Whatever answer your naïve 6-year-old self muddled together on the playground in elementary school, you’re probably not doing that job today. Now, I pose the same question to you as an adult. What do you want to be when you grow up? It’s a little harder to answer that now, isn’t it? The dreams and aspirations that once seemed so attainable fade away as student loans, bills, and the reality of life kicks in. Starry eyed children become miserable adults working a nine-to-five they don’t even like. But it doesn’t have to be that way. I challenge you to find those things that set your soul on fire. The things that make getting up in the morning easy. For me, it’s marketing and theatre. I’ve always had a love for theatre from the first time I stepped on stage in elementary school. As I made my way through high school, I found another love in marketing which I pursued in college. |
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But I wasn’t satisfied. I didn’t want to settle for a marketing career while letting my love for theatre trail behind in the dust. In that moment, I came across the motto of my college, Stevenson University, which reads “Imagine your future, design your career.” With a clear image of what I wanted my future to be, I needed to find the career; marketing for theatre. With hard-work, some elbow grease, and a little bit of luck, I can happily say that I’ve made it happen. After a successful internship with Gretna Theatre located in Central Pennsylvania, I have accepted a full-time job as their Marketing Manager before my last semester of college. The truth is, it wasn’t easy. There was a lot of rejection and days that I didn’t think it would work. Everyday I did something, whether big or small, that would get me closer to my goal. You can do the same. Ask yourself what you want to be, imagine it, and do not stop until you make it a reality. Jack Rizzo is a Senior at Stevenson University studying Digital Marketing and Theatre. He also serves as the Marketing Manager for Gretna Theatre and a Marketing Consultant who specializes in performing arts, theatre, and non-profits. |
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I recently shared a coffee with a fellow entrepreneur who said, “I’m so busy getting this business going. I’m always behind.” I’ve felt that way myself, but hearing it from someone else made me ask, “What would it take for you not to feel behind? Can you see yourself ever feeling ahead?” She thought for a moment and replied “no,” as I would have. I wonder how many have felt this way. However, it’s understandable. Looking back on this first year of running my own business, it often took twice as long as I expected to accomplish something. There’s always something more to do or learn, and it can be difficult to measure successes or growth. It’s easy to relate to that “two steps forward, one step back” feeling. So, in starting a new business, how can we best work with these limitations? I found the number one tool most useful to keep pushing forward was the practice of grace. I know that practicing ‘grace’ is not a skill we typically think of in a business context. Let me explain what it means and how it has helped me. In a recent NY Times article, Jonathan Rauch described grace well, as “some combination of generosity and magnanimity, kindness and forgiveness, and empathy… bestowed even when not particularly earned.” I have needed to learn to practice this with myself in order to keep my energy and focus high. It’s easy to feel strong when I’m leading workshops and delivering my ‘product,’ but for the days in between – when I’m tackling more of the unknown and learning how to run a business – I’ve needed grace for the process. Grace is giving yourself permission to say, “What I did today was enough,” even when you feel no amount of hours will suffice and the weight of all your work is on your shoulders. Accepting what you can do without losing motivation to try again the next day. Grace is letting it be okay when the process feels slow, mistakes are made or setbacks occur. To sit with these and know they are a part of the process. |
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Grace is not tying your value to your daily events or outcomes, but keeping aware of the many facets that are a part of making ideas work. Grace is the art of practicing that “generosity, kindness and forgiveness” on yourself as you go through this process, even when it doesn’t feel “earned.” I did not begin my journey with this awareness of the importance of grace. But now that I am alert to it, I have found some simple practices I do regularly to help me move forward a little more graciously: 1. Each morning, I write in the “5 Minute Journal” (Ramdas & Ikonn), (The Tim Ferriss Show). 2. I practice love and kindness meditation three times a week (Susan Piver), (Dan Harris: 10% Happier). 3. I exercise regularly. These are not unusual actions, but once I began mindfully using these practices to specifically help me with my business approach, I noticed incredible relief and a burst of drive, strength and focus. This is why the practice of grace easily wins ‘MVP’ for my 2018 learned skills. Of course, it is important to understand and execute the basics of good business strategies, from practicing strong research and networking skills to having marketing and social media savvy. But without grace for the process, grace for the waning of energy and motivation, grace as you question your abilities… relying solely on your knowledge of common business skills can feel overly taxing. So, for 2019, if you’re excited and ready to start an entrepreneurial adventure, I’d encourage you to find ways to build the practice of grace into your daily schedule. I have yet to regret any time I’ve taken to do so, and bet you won’t either. Cheers to a New Year of graceful venturing. Liz Moore founded the Power Play Project in early 2018, an organization dedicated to coaching individuals, small groups, and educators in the art of how to playfully engage ourselves and our teams to create a culture of connectedness within our communities and work. |
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| | OutGrowth Blog Nistha Pradhan Wanderlust of a Maverick "Nepal is my home, Mississippi will forever hold a special place in my heart, Texas is where I learned to fly and I'm hoping Baltimore is where I will soar to my dreams." Nistha is a finance professional keenly interested in fiscal policy. She is originally from Nepal and moved to the United States to get a better education and pursue the American dream. | | |
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| | OutGrowth Events January 9 | Immersive Roundtable January 16 | OutGrowth Advisory Board Meeting January 19-23 | Farm Research in Cuba January 25 | First Masterminds Meeting January 28 | OutGrowth Welcomes Ali as the Spring 2019 Digital Marketing Strategy Intern! January 28- | OutGrowth Impact Cohort University Marketing: Spring Launch | | |
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'Condé Nast Traveler's podcast, Travelogue, is ideal for the seasoned traveler looking for a new 2019 destination or first-time explorer seeking an unforgettable road trip. Get ready to expand your horizons!' | | |
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'New Year's resolutions are easy to make … and hard to keep. Our advice: Make resolutions that reflect your core values, to be kinder, more confident, more open to change.' Here's a Ted playlist for inspiration. | | |
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'We are all frazzled, all of us. Five hundred years ago no one died of stress: we invented this concept and now we let it rule us. Ruby Wax shows us how to de-frazzle for good by making simple changes that give us time to breathe, reflect and live in the moment. Let Ruby be your guide to a healthier, happier you. You've nothing to lose but your stress.' | | |
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