Think As Inc

CAREER LESSONS FROM SEINFELD

August 12, 2009 on 1:52 am | In life coaching | No Comments

Beware of quashing your dreams prematurely.  In one Seinfeld episode, George tells Jerry he wants to get serious about getting a job.  Jerry quashes this notion, questioning George’s ability to even identify what he wants to do.  George suggests teaching.  Jerry counters that he needs a degree.  George suggests sports reporting.  Jerry counters that he needs journalism or sports experience.  George suggests professional athlete.  At this point, Jerry just looks and the audience just laughs.

It’s a funny bit because we’ve all had those friends like George with the pie in the sky dreams.  Unfortunately we’ve also done what Jerry does to George to ourselves.  I know many people, myself included, who get a notion or idea about something, only to counter themselves with but-you-can’t.

I don’t have the degree.  I don’t have the experience.  I don’t have the skills.  I don’t have the time.  I don’t have the money.  We all have a long list of what we don’t have.  If we think about it that way we might never get started.

But if we think about what we do have, it might be enough to start.  Could George get the degree?  Could he get some experience?  Could he do something in sports, if not play professionally?

(George eventually does end up in sports, at the Yankees no less, showcasing another coaching lesson about the power of opposite thinking.  More on this in my recent CNBC piece:  http://www.cnbc.com/id/28794573/site/14081545)

So stop the naysaying, and practice some opposite thinking.  When you find yourself with an idea that intrigues you, but scares you a bit, don’t just dismiss it.  Play with it.  Have the courage, even the audacity to presume that it’s doable and doable by you.  You have what it takes.  You have the time.  You have the money.  What will you do?