Walk with a purpose.

I used to have a incredible sales trainer when I was managing a studio by the name of Jacques DeBeve.  For a ballroom dancer, he was odd looking - he was short, round, and kind of resembled Santa.  But as a salesman, he could sell ice to Eskimos. One of the many things Jacques said that stuck with me was that one should always "Walk with a purpose."  He, being a sales trainer, framed it within the context of planning and selling programs.  But it struck a chord with me.  Both literally and figuratively.  Being short, I tend to take long and quick strides when I walk.  I move around people that are slowing me down.  I have somewhere to be and something to do. But everything I do in life, I have an end goal.  I'm not ok with just meandering aimlessly.  I'm sure it has it's moments of being detrimental...but I can't help it.  I've always been a driven person.  That's the only way one can succeed in business and in life.  Nothing is handed to me.  I don't sit around hoping and wishing something will happen.  It's up to me to make it so.  But in order to do that, you have to be able to play the long game.  If you're only making decisions from minute-to-minute or even day-to-day, you're going to miss the big picture.  Every step that you take should be taking you closer to that end goal.  What's your purpose?  Are you taking steps to reach your final destination, or are you just wandering aimlessly?

G

I am ridiculously bad at being hip.

Amongst certain crowds and certain areas, I'm recognizable around town.  It's the hair.  If I wore a wig or a hat no one would know who the hell I was. As it is, I can rarely even go to the damn grocery store without someone doing the raised eyebrows in recognition or yelling "Ginger!" at the top of their lungs.  The problem with this is that I'm an introvert.  I hate crowds, and dealing with a conversation of more than 2 or 3 people makes me nuts.  I'm more of a "see" than "be seen" girl.  I don't usually hang out at the trendy spots in town, and when I do I frequently regret it.  I enjoy people watching, but I'm much more of a one-on-one gal...as long as the person I'm with doesn't feel like THEY need to "be seen", then we're all good.  I'm constantly being pushed by my girls to get out and network more.  But I see some of these social climbers that are at every effing event, with 87 photobooth pictures at said event, 22 selfies posted on their Instagram, and tagging themselves and every other person they know at the location.  I just feels shallow and forced and a little strange to me. I don't know if it's my age or just my personality that causes me to cringe at this.  I just would rather be at some empty bar with a few people that I love and adore and not a camera (or phone for that matter) in sight. Otherwise it starts to feel like work...and I don't work for free.

G