the Hollywood Scuffle

During the Coronavirus outbreak I have been able to maintain my exercise routine by bicycling, which is an activity that mostly conforms to proper social distancing guidelines. I have two different rides that I normally do on alternate days. The first is on a flat bike path that runs by the end of my block. It takes almost an hour, depending on traffic signals, and has a 25 minute sprint around the park in the middle. The other ride involves a 55 minute climb to the Hub Junction, where the view stretches from downtown Los Angeles to Catalina Island. On this ride yesterday I realized the need to always have your story ready.

The first half of the climb is on a paved boulevard that runs by two golf courses and a trail head popular with hikers. At the top of the road there is a gate that marks the beginning of the park area. Past the gate, cars park at an angle on both sides of the road. The top third spots are designated as metered spaces, with required payment deposited in the Iron Ranger box. The gate has been locked for the past three weeks. However, people, including me, have been slipping under the bars. This week they added caution tape and temporary signs, as well as a warning of a $1000 fine for violation of the restriction. As I sat on my bike reading the signs a jogger approached. After we discussed the notice he slid under the bar and continued up the hill. I considered my options. The only viable riding alternative involved going back down to the bottom and starting a different route from there. Since that did not fit my time schedule or seem physically challenging, I followed the jogger. I don’t remember what I thought about on my way up, but during the descent I started planning the story, or excuse, I would use if the police were ticketing people as they exited the park.

In sales they call it an ‘elevator pitch’. You are encouraged to always have a short presentation prepared that you can use to sell yourself, and your product or service, in the space of a brief encounter, such as an elevator ride. I never experienced much success in any of my attempts at sales, but I have used the idea of having an elevator pitch in my daily life. Sometimes on a movie set the Foreman will tell you to hide if there is nothing to do. But his boss, the Coordinator does not know that; if he sees you being inactive, he may ask what you are doing. You don’t want to betray the Foreman, who may be saving you from doing busy work, so you have to tell the Coordinator something that sounds plausible. You could just start rambling about different projects on the show, to which he will probably walk away knowing that you are blowing him off. However, you could have a prepared spiel about a specific project on the job. He may know that you are misleading him, but as long as your talk is well presented and based on fact, he will walk away satisfied.

The website Howcast has a post on “How to talk your way out of anything”. They suggest using a three-part approach: Diversion, Explanation, Lie. During my bike ride I prepared myself to apply it in this manner: Diversion: “I know that you have heard every excuse there is, so I’m not going to lie to you.” Explanation: “My wife works at X hospital, and has been dealing with all this craziness there.” Lie: “When she gets home from work, which is right about now, I like to be out of the way so she can do her full disinfecting routine.” They describe lying as “too much of an explanation.” In other words it should be based on fact, but you can weave in whatever additional details you need to serve your purpose. But the truth is, I lied about my wife working that day. In fact, she removes her uniforms, and all of the PPE at work to keep the contaminants from leaving the hospital, so it is relatively safe. I was prepared, however, to divert his attention from my offense by building rapport, and give him an explanation that had enough factual basis to win him to my side. Fortunately, I did not need to use my story that day. But I am confident that my excuse is ready, in case I need it in the future.

The caution tape at the gate has been replaced by Police Line tape, and I have not witnessed anybody going past it. I found an alternate riding route for myself that is equally challenging and sufficiently remote to avoid any crowds. I do feel better that I am not flouting any restrictions, and not just because my wife referred to me as a “douche bag” for doing so. This experience did reinforce for me, however, the idea that in order to be as present and in control of my environment as I desire to be, I should always be prepared to present myself, and my ideas on anything important to me in a clear thought out manner. I believe that this applies to every area of our lives, from ‘moving up the ladder’ in our career to being ready for that chance encounter with our Soul Mate: Always have your story ready.

Source: What Does It Mean to Be a Spiritual Warrior?

I am trying to condense the message in this piece by  Sandra Pawula because it has so many great insights. I agree that the path of a spiritual warrior is one of love and compassion. I would also say that in the buddhist tradition that I follow we believe that one does not have to wait until they have attained “complete spiritual realization” before we can help others on their path. In fact, I have often been most encouraged by watching the process of someone using their faith to overcome a great obstacle.

“A spiritual warrior understands that we all want and deserve happiness and at the same time, no one wants to suffer.” My practice teaches that there are two kinds of happiness: relative, and absolute. My mentor Daisaku Ikeda states “Buddhism teaches the principle that earthly desires are enlightenment. To explain this very simply, earthly desires refers to suffering and to the desires and cravings that cause suffering, while enlightenment refers to attaining a vast, expansive state of absolute happiness. Normally, one would assume that earthly desires and enlightenment are separate and distinct, especially since suffering would seem to be the exact opposite of happiness. But Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism teaches that only by igniting the firewood of earthly desires can the flame of happiness be attained”.

I experienced this once near the beginning of my spiritual practice. Due to a slowdown associated with a writers strike I was unable to find any set building work for an extended period. My actress girlfriend refused my suggestion to get a ‘real job’, and we ended up several months behind on the rent, which led to many disagreements between us. Fortunately, I had good friends in faith who encouraged me to battle my misfortune with an inner struggle. I chanted the daimoku (nam myoho renge kyo) more and more, including 6 hours every Sunday. After about a month of this campaign, with the rent still not payed, I stopped in my tracks one day while entering a 7-11, and realized that I felt totally happy, in spite of my problems. Within a week of that recognition I returned to work, and sorted out all my obligations.

“I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and, doggone it, people like me.”  This was the mantra of Stuart Smalley, one of Al Franken’s characters on Saturday Night Live.  The skits were played for comedic effect and, as a teenager when I first saw them, I admit that I viewed the character with some judgement.  But, I think that he was representing the inner voice that we all have; and truthfully, how often does that voice say such positive things?  We call it the inner critic for a reason.  Usually that voice tells us everything that is wrong with us, and how we will never be able to change.  Elizabeth Scott, MS, a Diplomate at the American Institute of Stress, writes about The Toxic Effects of Negative Self-Talk.  “Basically, negative self-talk is any inner dialogue you have with yourself that may be limiting your ability to believe in yourself and your own abilities, and reach your potential.  It is any thought that diminishes you and your ability to make positive changes in your life or your confidence in your ability to do so.”  She talks about the toll that this way of thinking has on us.  It leads to higher levels of stress, and lower self-esteem.  Some of the results of this are a limited view of our own potential, and sometimes a quest for perfection, where a job well done, or even great, isn’t good enough.  Other effects of listening to this inner voice can be feelings of depression and trouble in all types of relationships.  In reality, our inner critic has a positive intention.  It believes that it is protecting us and at some point, much earlier in our lives, that was probably true.  It could keep us from doing anything too dangerous, or something that we were totally unprepared to do.  If we want to expand our capacity however, we must do things that take us out of our comfort zone, and the inner critic does not like that.

As much as a negative voice can take a toll on us, a positive inner conversation can aid us in many ways.  Tim Legg, MD, writing for Healthline, confirms that your thoughts really create who you are, and how you act.  “People are becoming more aware that positive self-talk is a powerful tool for increasing your self-confidence and curbing negative emotions.  People who can master positive self-talk are thought to be more confident, motivated, and positive.” Affirmations seem corny to me, and I would feel uncomfortable repeating them in front of my bathroom mirror every morning.  However, anything that we can do to neutralize a negative voice will benefit us.  “If we engage in positive self-talk, we begin to view the world in a more positive manner and will ultimately feel better about ourselves.  We can’t always control what happens, but we can control how we react to it.”

I walked into the living room a few years ago in time to hear my daughter say, “I’m so stupid.”  She gets good grades in her Honors classes, has nice friends, and fulfills all of her responsibilities.  Like anyone else, she has areas of her life that she needs to work on.  It made me think about that inner voice that tries telling us that we are not good enough.  At the time I did not have a good response to coach her in confronting that voice, so I probably said something like “that’s a silly thing to say.”  Since then, I have been collecting techniques to deal with that inner voice so that I can provide her, and anyone else with guidance.  First, you have to ‘catch your critic’.  In other words, recognize when that voice is not providing good guidance.  If it is saying something that you would not say out loud to a friend or your kids, then you shouldn’t say it to yourself.  Next, give it a name. Whether it is Monkey Mind, The Gremlin, or, Debbie Downer, another character from SNL, naming is a way to recognize it, and put it in its place.  Finally, I use a method I call ‘Cancel and Replace’, which I have learned is taught in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).  When a negative thought pops into my head I immediately say “Cancel” to stop it in its tracks.  I then replace that thought with the positive opposite.  This takes work and commitment.  However, if done consistently I believe that I can become the Master of my mind, rather than let my mind master me.

My wife often tells me that it’s not what I said, but how I say it, and I have tried to incorporate that wisdom in my work relationships.  We all may try to leave our personal life at home, or at least outside the door, but through the course of a 50 – 80 plus hour work week, which we spend in very close proximity to our partner, whatever problems anyone may be facing inevitably come to the surface.  The easy solution is to distance ourselves from people who are suffering, and truthfully, a film set may not be the best place to resolve personal issues.  However, I look at it as an opportunity to practice my ability to empathize with, and encourage another person.  Like so many things the starting point is to encourage yourself.  By whatever method you may employ, it is important to arrive to work (or anywhere else for that matter) in the highest life condition possible.  We should learn how to prepare ourselves to encounter any situation full of courage and enthusiasm, in other words with a positive attitude.

The WikiJob website stresses the importance of developing Interpersonal Skills to aid our advancement in the workplace.  “Almost all aspects of work involve communication.  Many jobs also involve collaboration and interaction with different types of people, and interpersonal skills are vital to make this happen”.  Although we must finish the set before the camera rolls, I believe that we can utilize our work hours for a higher purpose.  I like to find out where my partner is in their life, what they might be struggling with, and offer any suggestions that seem appropriate.  Samuel Hatton, in his Core Concepts podcast states “The more you can shine light on the unique abilities of others, bring life into conversation, and operate from a genuine place, the more positive a work environment you will find yourself.”  He stresses giving sincere compliments, not the obvious but something that you notice in the moment; and compliment that person to others when they are not around.  I sometimes ask my partner’s opinion on how to do something, even if I already know how I want it done.  Besides the potential benefit of learning a new technique, this approach allows the other person to feel valued, and opens a line of communication.

Ross McCammon, Articles Editor for GQ magazine, writing for Entrepreneur defines the difference between encouragement and motivation.  “Motivation doesn’t depend on circumstances.  Motivation is for people who are already inclined to succeed.”  But what about someone who has no idea what to do? Often, when a person voices their problems or frustrations it is because they are at a place from which they do not know how to continue.  We do not want to be the know-it-all who sounds like the answer is obvious, but we also need to be specific in our encouragement, if we think it will help.  People usually feel more sure of their direction if they participated in the creation of the plan. ‘What if ..,’ or ‘maybe you could try …’ is more involving than ‘You should …’. McCammon states “When you encourage, you don’t just change how people work.  You change the way they perceive their abilities.  Which changes their careers.  Which changes their lives.  Which is a really big deal”.  I want to be known as someone who can offer such encouragement.

Last month I worked on a TV show at Culver studios, In the second week I was given a new partner to help with my project, someone I do not really like. Before we started working I felt I needed to clear the air, and I told him that I harbored a resentment from a previous encounter we had. During a slow period in the business I worked on a remodel for a Playmate’s condo in Beverly Hills. A Propmaker acquaintance called me saying that he was unable to work on a different side job that Saturday, and asked if I would take his place. The contractor, my new partner, told me that he really needed help, so I rearranged my scheduled day and showed up at his job. He walked me through the project, with the client present, and then told me, in front of everyone, that he could not use my help. Shocked, and annoyed, I returned to my job, and fortunately was able to finish what I needed to do that day without too much interruption. I never forgot that encounter, and described it to others whenever his name came up. Now, for the first time we were working as partners. He denied that the incident had ever occurred, which annoyed me even further. My low opinion of my partner was backed up by everyone else on the crew, and I felt the need to share it with everyone I talked to.

I know that talking about other’s faults is not ‘good’. From the golden rule “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” to the childhood rule “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all”, I have heard it my entire life. So why do I feel the urge to talk about this one person? Roshi Nancy Mujo Baker writes in Tricycle magazine:
Sometimes there’s the need for reassurance that I’m right. Or that I’m good. Or that I’m at least not like that, whatever “that” may be… Also motivating us is the need to get someone over to my side about an issue. Most striking of all is the unconscious desire for intimacy with the one to whom I am speaking. But this is a delusion, since it is nothing but false intimacy. In fact, it’s amazing to think that we actually use speaking about the faults of others in order to feel connected. Notice the contradiction, the delusion, here: We use, and even create, separation from one thing or person to overcome separation from another! We are afraid of genuine contact, so we find something or someone to complain about or gossip about.

I am not sure which, if any or all, of those apply to me. But, I am eager to learn what lessons I can, as well as any techniques to avoid this in the future. In the same article Baker writes about the habit of putting down the political leaders we do not agree with. “What could be done in its place?”.

 

To really want to change this tendency, I believe, we have to realize that it will benefit us most of all. Abraham Maslow described a Hierarchy of Needs that explains how, once we have fulfilled our basic survival needs we can concentrate on ‘higher ‘ psychological and ‘self-fulfillment’ needs. He explains that in the ‘higher’ levels our motivation to improve increases as each level is reached. If it feels good, we want more and more of it. Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron, born Cheryl Greene in Los Angeles, is an American Tibetan Buddhist nun. She gives seven tips for giving up gossip:

1. Recognize that gossip doesn’t undo the situation you’re talking about. It only puts in motion another situation based on negative feelings.
2. Know that comparing yourself to others is useless. Everyone has his or her own talents. In this way, give up jealousy and the wish to put others down.
3. Be aware of and transform your own thoughts, words, and deeds rather than commenting on those of others.
4. Train your mind to see others’ positive qualities and discuss them. This will make you much happier than gossiping ever could.
5. Forgive, knowing that people do harmful things because they are unhappy. If you don’t make someone into an enemy, you won’t want to gossip about him.
6. Have a sense of humor about what you think, say, and do, and be able to laugh at all of the silly things we sentient beings carry out in our attempt to be happy. If you see the humor in our human predicament, you’ll be more patient.
7. Practice saying something kind to someone every day. Do this especially with people you don’t like. It gets easier with practice and bears surprisingly good results.

I met a young woman recently who introduced herself as Crash. “It’s because I have so many accidents” she explained. This encounter happened about a month after I had fallen off the roof of my house, breaking two ribs and knocking myself out. Based on the ER doctor’s reaction, this occurs frequently during the holiday season. I don’t know why I have had so many accidents, but it has been a continuing pattern since my early childhood. At four I fell backward off a chain I was swinging on and woke up in the hospital. A year later I started my grandmother’s Mustang inside a closed garage and nearly killed myself and the kid who lived next door to her. A train accident in Mexico, after which I was unconscious for ten days, was followed by more car accidents than I can count. I have also had many tool related work injuries. The real surprise, I guess is that I am still alive, and in fairly good health. I have been searching for the ‘meaning’ of all these accidents for some time.

Susan Krauss Whitborne, a noted professor of Pschology lists many potential causes of accidents: lack of sleep, alcohol, medications, overall poor health, and emotional distress. Also on her list are distraction, and poor situational awareness which seem like they apply more to me. “Preoccupied with such personal issues as work-family conflict, feeling overworked, or being dissatisfied with the physical conditions of their workplace, people prone to cognitive lapses have particular difficulty focusing on what’s going on around them.” I don’t usually notice these distractions, but I am interested in learning how to personally avoid accidents. My injuries usually occur when I am so focused on one thing that I lose sight of other things around me. “After all, you have only yourself and your attentional frailty to blame. Knowing your vulnerability can be the first step in bolstering yourself mentally against the possible psychological, if not physical, dangers in your environment.”

Mindfulness, or ‘tuning in’ “is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us”. Mindful.org, which uses the logo/caption ‘taking time for what matters’, has many useful resources, and stresses that we should practice mindfulness on a daily basis. Since I do not feel like I have any extra time I am most interested in how to work the practice into my normal daily activities. “Observe the present moment as it is. The aim of mindfulness is not quieting the mind, or attempting to achieve a state of eternal calm. The goal is simple: we’re aiming to pay attention to the present moment, without judgement.” David Rome is a teacher of what he calls Deep Listening, which seems like a good approach to practicing mindfulness. He says that “the foundation for mindful listening is self awareness”. “Being good at listening to others requires the ability to listen to yourself”. “Listening takes a combination of intention and attention. The intention part is having a genuine interest in the other person – their experiences, views, feelings, and needs. The attention part is being able to stay present, open, and unbiased as we receive the other’s words-even when they don’t line up with our own ideas or desires”. He lists some tips to improve our listening:
Check inside: How do I feel, and can I be in the moment;
Give your full attention to the other person;
Acknowledge your reactions, and return your attention to the other person;
Reflect back what you hear ;
Acknowledge (and clarify) the other person’s point of view before offering your own.
I think this is a good, practical way to practice mindfulness, and I am going to try it.

 

Last year I worked in the mill on a science fiction movie which is part of a very popular franchise.  I have known the Foreman  for many years, but do not remember having ever worked for him.  My partner, who I had worked with on three consecutive shows, is an excellent craftsman, but has a very low tolerance for people he does not think are good enough at their job; and he rarely holds back on expressing those opinions to me.  We were building elaborate control consoles and space lock doors.  During the first week my partner voiced his displeasure with the quality of my work: ‘You’re making us look bad’, or something to that effect.  The truth is that it had been a very long time since I had worked on a project that demanding.  I actually do not believe the degree of precision they were looking for was necessary, but the Foreman expected it.  At the end of the week he told me that my work was not of sufficient quality for that crew.  I would have been just as happy to work with the other crew on stage, but my ego would not accept that result.  That weekend I talked to some friends in faith and confirmed what I already know: The only answer to a situation like that is to raise your life condition.  I got up two hours early on Monday morning and immersed myself in my spiritual practice.  I showed up at work that day with a new attitude, on a sub conscious level.  For the rest of the job they complimented my projects, and they invited me to work on their next show, also a space movie, which I just finished.  I cannot say exactly what changed about me over that weekend.  I did not exponentially improve my carpentry skills or discover some new trick to hide any mistakes I may have made.  What I do know is that I have a reliable system that enables me to raise my life condition, in order to counter any negativity, either internal or external.

Faith, to me, is fundamentally a belief in yourself, and in your own capabilities, both those you already possess, and those you hope to develop.  My mentor, Daisaku Ikeda. states: “The struggle to surmount inner deadlock and feelings of defeat is what faith is all about. It is the rousing of the strong and powerful spirit within, the commitment to resolutely wage battle against all inner tendencies toward complacency and stagnation.”   Personal Empowerment is described on skillsyouneed.com as a process of “developing self-awareness, an understanding of your strengths and weaknesses”.  They say we can become powerful by “reflecting on our personal values, skills and goals and being prepared to adjust our behavior in order to achieve our goals”.  What I love about my spiritual practice is that the benefit is not only in the goal you are pursuing, which you may or may not achieve, but in the person you become in the process.  Amazingly, the by product of our efforts, when we base our pursuits on faith, is a deep internal satisfaction and happiness, that stays with us long past our attachment to our original goal.

Many people have different opinions on how to achieve self empowerment, from changing our computer password to a personal mantra to taking a timeout to be alone so that we can “disconnect from all the other voices around us, including your spouse, children, in-laws, employers, co-workers, and friends” (Jackie Dishner). Skillsyouneed describes a range of “coping responses” they recommend to deal with diverse life situations:  Setting Goals to chart the direction of your life; Gathering information to expand your life choices; Developing Skills that can help you achieve your goals.  “In order to be self-aware it is necessary to be aware of our values, to critically examine them and to accept that our values may be different from those of others”.  In my experience of faith I like that the goal (and usual outcome) is that everyone wins.  Daisaku Ikeda sums up my opinion on this topic.  “Faith is the eternal treasure and sustenance of human life.  It encompasses immeasurable benefit and boudless good fortune.  Its power is as vast as the universe and can transform our entire environment or world”.

 

 

 

My first job, which I happened into while walking home from the tennis court with a friend at the age of 12, payed one dollar an hour, and all the Slurpees I could drink.  I killed them on the Slurpees.  After that I rototilled yards, pounded nails, sold vacuum cleaners, ski bummed and, among other things, worked at McDonalds for one day.  They say that the average person of my generation will have ten to twelve different jobs during their lifetime.  My kids, who are part of the so called generation Z, are predicted to have fifteen to twenty jobs through their working years.  Each job I have had has allowed, or forced, me to learn a new skill set.  At 17, while trying to sell the very expensive Rainbow cleaning system my father directed me to How To Win Friends And Influence People, by Dale Carnegie, which, although I didn’t label it as such at the time, began my personal development journey.

How do you measure your personal development?  In the context that I first heard the term it was promoted as a necessary ingredient for success in a particular business.  The leaders within that company plainly said that if you were not getting the results you wanted it probably meant you were not pursuing your “personal development” earnestly enough.  Even though I feel that I failed at that business my rigorous training in other areas of my life allowed me, after much reflection, to grow from the experience.  Matt Morris on his very expansive blog (mattmorris.com), says “ Become a Master in the Art of Living where people can’t tell if you’re working or playing because, to you, you’re always doing both”.  I think that expresses the idea I mentioned in a previous post of making a game, or personal competition, out of mundane tasks.  In his 10 Tips for Personal Development I particularly value the advise to Start now, Learn from other people (both their successes and failures), Be grateful & recognize your worth, and Keep going and NEVER give up.  I would modify that last point to state Never give up on yourself, but it is okay to switch lanes.  I ended my business association with the personal development encouraging company; although I still fully believe in  the value of the service they sell and am still a customer, I choose to pursue different business opportunities.

The website skillsyouneed.com presents advice in many important areas of life.  They promote Personal Development as a life long process with benefits which can “enhance your employability prospects, raise your confidence, and lead to a more fulfilling, higher quality life”.  They also cite Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Presented in a  pyramid form it states that only when lower, fundamental needs are met can you explore the higher realms.  At the bottom are the basic physiological survival needs of food, drink, sex and sleep.  Next you have safety and security, both physical and financial.  Above that is the need for love and belonging, followed by the need for self-esteem and self-respect.  The top three areas of need are cognitive,the need to understand,  aesthetic, the need for pleasant, calming surroundings and self-actualisation, the need to reach our full potential, at the top.  Maslow states that all people need to see themselves as competent, independent, and self ruling.  My personal journey down this path has been marked by many side roads.  I do however, appreciate every lesson I have learned, and am more aware than ever of my need to keep growing, for the sake of my career, and full and complete enjoyment of life.

When I start working 12 hour days,7 days a week, the standard schedule when we get behind, which seems to be very common in Hollywood, it takes extra effort to survive.  During the 1980’s, when I first started working in the business most guys used some form of stimulant.  I never really enjoyed cocaine, but I suppose it made a certain type of sense.  Many guys drank and smoked heavily, which has the opposite effect on your energy level, but also alleviates the mental strain, I guess.  The three qualities needed for optimal performance and success, in my view, are strength, endurance and perseverance.  Physical strength means more than just your muscle mass, it involves knowing how best to leverage your body, and being aware of your limits.  Endurance is the combination of your physical ability with being able to control your mind to your best advantage.  Perseverance involves finding a purpose to combine with the first two qualities.  This purpose does not have to be ‘save the world’ big.  It can be micro, and personal.  I view the long hours and physical exertion , which can wear you down, as a way to train my body, mind, and soul.

While building a set is not the same as running a marathon, I think that some of the techniques athletes use can translate to success in the work environment.  Endurance is described in the dictionary as “the ability or strength to continue or last, especially despite fatigue, stress, or other adverse conditions”, and perseverance as “steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.”  Caitlin Chock, writing about distsnce running for Active.com describes a four part process to deal with the messages your brain sends you as you start to tire that I believe can be applied to the work environment.  Anticipate that you will get tired while working for 12 hours.  Realize that everyone else on the crew is experiencing the same conditions.  Assess how your body is reacting so that you know when to hydrate or take a breather.  Reassess and reinterpret the messages your brain sends you and override them using any technique that works for you.  For runners she suggests these tricks: visualizing your experience before you begin; using a positive self dialogue to keep yourself focused; concentrating on the things that you can control to distract yourself from the unpleasant, and focusing on your goals or rewards.

I expect to work at least 30 years in my set building career.  In fact I have almost reached that marker, with at least ten years still remaining before I reach a retirement age.  I have struggled to find meaning in the work beyond my paycheck.  What I am starting to realize is that all aspects of work can serve as training for every area of life.  My perseverance through obstacles including fatigue, pain, boredom, unemployment, the occasional obnoxious coworker, and attacks on my own ego and self esteem have trained me to the point where I honestly believe I can conquer any obstacle.

 

I don’t know how Aloha Friday started or why it is not as wide spread as it used to be, but at one time everyone on a Hollywood set wore a Hawaiian shirt to mark the end of the week.   In my craft we often work the weekend, but Friday is still the traditional end of the work week.  On some crews we would get an extra long lunch break for wearing the flowery print.  At some point I decided I would wear a Hawaiian shirt to work everyday, because I like the way it looks, how it feels against my skin, and because I like to have the breast pocket to keep cards in.  Now, I am the “Hawaiian shirt guy”, as I have heard myself referred to.  I guess there are worse things to be known for.

According to Jerry Seinfeld, success in his field is based on “work and thought and preparation”.  Ronald Riggio stresses competence, conscientiousness, and common sense, which sounds like a similar formula to me.   In the blog Mondo Frank, I read about the equation of PIE: Performance, Image and Exposure.  He cites Harvey Coleman, saying that your job performance, how well you actually do what it is you are payed for, accounts for only about 10% of your overall success.  Image, your personal brand, is what other people think about you and your personality.  This factor, which some may say we do not have control over, but from the spiritual perspective is our sole creation, contributes 30% to our experience at work.  The most important aspect in our career development, he says, is exposure, how many people know about you and what you do.  When your name is mentioned at the plan bench do they say “yeah, he’s cool.  Is he available?”  Or do they look away, indicating they would rather not have you around.  As I believe I have mentioned before,  most foremen, because of the long hours we spend together, want to hire people they like, who they know they will enjoy being around.  I am sure it is the same in any environment where people work closely together.

I am not the type of person to talk about myself a lot.  At work I keep a pretty low profile, and try to be consistent and reliable in what I do.  However, I do not hold back on expressing my opinion when I think it is appropriate.  I have, almost accidentally, created an image for myself that most of my coworkers and bosses know: I am the hard working, reliable, conscientious, Hawaiian shirt wearing Buddhist. I don’t think that is a bad way to be thought of.