AWARD WINNING TAKES PRACTICE

If you’ve never had an award winning experience, keep reading.

After all of the training and expectations and worry you somehow win.

What happens next? Disbelief.

How did it happens? You know but still don’t believe it.

Then it’s on to the next thing, the next big deal, but the feeling remains:

Do the work with the right guidance and the sky is the limit.

At least that’s how it should start.

It’s a big downer to do the work with the right guidance and it all comes to nothing.

How many baby boomers have heard all about their privilege, their immaculate timing to be born during boom times, their wealth, only to be left out on all counts?

Not all Portland baby boomers live in the west hills, or Alameda Ridge.

They didn’t all get a house on the cheap and own it until it increased in value.

Some of them did but lost out when they decided they wanted to live a richer life and took out shitty loans on their equity.

Much has been written by the losers from 2007.

 

Between 2007 and 2009, U.S. households lost over $16 trillion in net worth, the value of the stock market fell by half, and unemployment reached 10% as the crisis turned into the Great Recession.

 

Keeping a house during those times felt like an award winning effort.

 

Give Credit To The Team

Call yourself a self-made man. Go ahead, but deep down you know it’s not true.

You weren’t raised by wolves and nursed by grizzly bears, no matter how bad-assed you want to be.

Thank a teacher, a coach, a mentor, a boss.

Thank a neighbor, a friend, just don’t forget the foundation blocks.

Here’s the weird thing, people enjoy your company whether you know it or not.

Being around is an important part of people’s lives.

But being around someone who ignores the importance of community makes for a long day.

Sure, you did it all yourself, everything you’ve ever done, or will do, is from you and no one else.

Go ahead and rub it in on everyone you know.

For that you earn a pile of award winning bullshit.

Do that and you’re a selfish liar and you smell funny, not ha ha funny either, not the amusing sort of funny.

Instead, after winning, spread the good feeling around.

Think of the Academy Award winning speeches where everyone gets a mention until the music cues come up.

Take a win to the bar and buy the house a round while you pound your chest.

Then tell them again until the music starts.

 

After The Award Winning Celebration

Remember to take your award with you, whether a medal, plaque, or bouquet.

Try and balance the meaning of not with the rest of your life, then put it in a drawer and get on with things.

If you’re a writer writing blog posts, try to write award winning posts.

Don’t fall for the blog hype companies who offer blog awards at a reasonable price.

Your work might be for sale, but not like that.

Boomerpdx is a Portland Oregon baby boomer blog.

I’m a boomer with a Portland address so it made sense.

This is my award.

I call it the google search award.

Is it award winning?

Yes, and my readers are my award.

More like reward. And I strive to reward them, too.

I have one reader in particular who says they’re thinking of starting their blog.

Dearest, we can’t sign up and follow you until you get started.

Call me, text, or leave a comment here if you’re stuck in the process. (Hey AG)