What Is The Next Step?

I spent over 16 years of my life going to school and always striving to achieve the next step, the next goal, the next level.  You spend countless nights cramming for some deadline, all in hopes to get to the next step.  Then you make it.  You graduate.  You can see clearly the path that was laid out for you and now you stand so close to the top.  At this moment you have one more step, the step we have been trying to get to this entire time, a career. 

It has been forever in the back of your mind yet forgotten so easily throughout the years.  The last step.  That's what I thought.  I thought it was the last step and once I got to the step we call a career, what's next?  Am I shooting to climb the corporate ladder to the top?  Do I want to start my own business?  Do I want to crunch numbers all day as an accountant?  It really doesn't matter what you strive to be but for many of us, like myself, we think it is the last step before we "start" our life, and that is the problem.  The real story is that we can't see the next staircase.  For our entire life the staircase was built by someone else, a system of guidance to help us get to what we thought was the top.  It was easy to see it and had a yearly break point where we could stop for a few months before taking the next step.  Now, as I stand at the top, I can't even see a step, let alone a staircase.  Is this it?  What's Next?  The truth is that we have to build the next staircase and realize that it will be longer, harder, and not as clear as the first, but the key is that you need to build it, build something, one step at a time and realize that the staircase is not a straight line to the top, if there even is a top.

Know that the world is to big for one's mind to comprehend all that is possible within it.  It is too complicated to solve all of the problems so think small.  It is too overwhelming to even know where to begin so pick one thing.  So where do I start?  How do I start climbing the next set of stairs when we can't even see the top? Just start, as Thomas Edison famously said,

“Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.”  

This is not about finding a new job, new career, or even changing where you are at today.  I truly enjoy my career and the people that I work with every day.  This is about aspiring to do more, build something greater, and discover like minded people that can help you get to the next step.  Start looking, start connecting, start searching for people, companies, and causes with values that you believe in.  Take it one step at a time and work to build relationships on a level that is greater than a Facebook friend or a Twitter follower.  Know that the second staircase will be much taller than the one you have already climbed and instead of looking for the top, just look for the next step.  Realize that in a world where we can have 5000 followers on twitter and a 1000 friends facebook know that it is no longer about who you know, it is about who CAN you know and as my friend Matt Sage says, "HOW you know them."  Who you know means that you are looking backwards whereas who CAN you know if looking to the future.  Big difference.  You have to work to build new relationships and do more than is asked of you.  Technology and Social Media are not the answer to better relationships, rather they are the channel.  A powerful channel, but if anything it may be more difficult to make a lasting connecting nowadays because of the multitude of connections we now have and it may require more effort to build lasting relationships.  

So if you find yourself thinking about doing more and wanting to give more, what are you waiting for?  To get started, make a goal for today and then worry about what happens tomorrow, well, tomorrow.  Search a new topic on google that interests you.  Find someone who is talking about it on Twitter and reach out to them with a simple, "hello."  The power of connection in this newly connected world is greater than one can imagine and it can help you find people and causes that would have never been possible 5, 10, or 15 years ago.  The ability to search the words that anyone has written is remarkable to say the least.  In the end it is all about a person's word. It can help you become a part of projects that you didn't know existed.  It can steer you in a direction that was never on your roadmap.  It can help you with your career, life, or just finding like minded people that can help you get to or find that next step.  Right now, go to search.twitter.com and search for something that you really enjoy.  A phrase, a person, a company.  Connect with the first person who says something that you agree with.  Who knows when a simple relationship you make will be a life long one?  Always remember that you might not be able to see the next step and instead just build them as you climb.  It is not about what the next step will be, it is about looking back on all of the steps you have built.  

Not sure where this "inspirational" post came from but it may be due to the projects, people, and steps that I have built over the past year.  It is truly humbling.  Thank you.

-Shane Mac

Bridging the Gap. My Personal Story.

Sometimes when you think something is lost you actually can't see how much you have gained.

I was a Junior in high school and I had just walked to the locker room to check the cut board and get ready for this years baseball season. There was one minor problem. My name which had been right there on the list every year, wasn't there. At first I thought it was a mistake and something must of been wrong with the list. A guy, me, who the previous year had led the team with a .397 batting average and only 7 strikeouts in 107 at bats didn't make the baseball team the following year. The coach's motto of, "If you hit you'll play," just didn't make any sense with those stats. Mad, sad, pissed, I just didn't get it. I spent a few days walking around with a cloud over my head and hating any couch who I crossed paths with. But then, I crossed paths with someone else, someone I would consider the "weird people" in my ignorant jock headed mind, the choir teacher. She was behind me in the lunch line, with a bright charming smile, and she looked at me (like she knew I was some x-jock) and very politely asked me if I would come to her office after school to try and sing a song while she played piano. Why did she ask me, why would I join some choir, why would I spend my afternoons singing with the "weird people." Well for starters, I didn't have much else to do since I got cut from the baseball team, and I really didn't like the class that I had 6th hour anyways, so I thought what the hell and I went. I showed up early to her office and there I was trying to sing. I was embarrassed, nervous, and having second thoughts about why I had even decided to come. Lets get this straight right now, I really sucked. I could not hold a note for the life of me. So for any of you out there who think you can't be taught how to sing (not that I am much better now but can at least stay in tune) I am telling you that it can be done. Even though I was horrible she kept pushing, encouraging, and hinting that I should join the 6th hour choir. I had already stepped outside of my "comfort zone" so after a couple of days I gave in. I remember that first day I walked into the choir room with the entire class looking down on me. No longer was I running around the halls getting homecoming court, class flirt, or the other nonsense I got, no, I was just some guy that didn't belong, wasn't "in." I was the "weird people."

I spent the next few months finding friendships, relationships, and experiences that I never could have imagined. My ignorant views on sub cultures, groups, choir, almost everything, were demolished and I had a burning curiosity to learn more about people, life, and music. But even with all these new experiences, I still had my "other" group of friends, the "cool but really no different than anyone else group," and I started bringing back ideas, stories, and new people to break the walls and stereotypes down that were lying between our blinded worlds. I would see two groups of people who don't like the other yet they have no idea what the other is doing and then come to find out they are doing they exact same thing. (Sound familiar?) It takes certain individuals to be influencers and help bridge the gaps that people are afraid to jump but once the bridge is built it makes it much easier for others to follow. As my choir teacher was, I strive to be that type of individual. She can talk you into anything, in a good way. I would never have imagined myself being in a musical, ever. Not only did I land the role of Willard in Footloose that year in High School, I was able to convince 2 of my close "athlete" friends to try out as well. Not just athletes, these were guys that had scholarships to play college sports. They tried out though, and they too landed roles. I think we all agree that it was a pretty incredible time. I believe it is the ability to inspire and create commonalities between groups of individuals that help bridge gaps that shouldn't exist. It is the foundation for life, business, getting a job, etc. It is something that I truly believe can help solve micro and macro problems in our society today.

I would have never started singing, playing guitar, stepped outside of my "accepted norms," started my own company, this blog, charity work, moved to Seattle, or who knows what else if it wasn't for that one day, one moment, one person, who helped shape my life and beliefs while helping bridge the gap that I didn't see. Like my choir teacher, I strive to be the person to build the bridge. I thank her for being that person.

So maybe it is not you holding yourself back, maybe you just need that moment, that inspiration, that time, that person that will help you walk a different path, play a different game, and strive to always do better. It are those critical feelings of embarrassment, nervousness, and excitement that are needed to help you get better and you should strive to put yourself in those types of situations if you want to build yourself. If not then you are not striving to be the best and do your best, you are simply settling. I write this as the person trying to bridge the gap for you and maybe from reading this you will decide to walk a different path tomorrow, look for a different job, talk to someone new, or just pick up the phone and say hi to an old friend.

I learned something from the day I was cut from the baseball team.  It is sometimes the things we don't get that can show us what is out there and keep us working harder to find more.

I dedicate this story to the Limestone Community High School Baseball Coach. I thank you, truly. One decision to cut me from the baseball team has had an everlasting effect on my life in the way I think about business, people, and everything I do, whereas if I would have made the team it would have all ended at 18 when I graduated and I would still be talking about my highlight reel from my senior year.

The funny thing about writing stuff like this is that I still have close friends who will give me a hard time and make cracks about "stuff" I do, but there still my good friends and you will have those too. Don't let that hold you back because most of the time insults come from those who are wishing they would have done that.

So I ask. What is holding you back? Are you where you want to be?

P.S. I never returned my baseball jersey.

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So I play the guitar and you donated over $400 to #StJude!?

I have been playing bars, weddings, and coffee shops for almost 3 years now and getting paid to drink, party, and play music.  I never thought I should get paid to do something I love and have a great time but it was pretty awesome.  That is when I thought, could I play an online show and raise over 400 dollars for St. Jude?  Having someone close to me get cancer (read below) it was the least I can do and was worth a shot!  You didn't let me down and over 50 people watched the show online at livestream.com and we did it together.  Raised $410 dollars for St. Jude!  I took a picture of the actual donation I sent tonight. 
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Why did I do it?

It was winter break 2005 and I had just came back from college.  Just 2 months before this, the news had came through the phone line to our dorm room that my best friend/roommate’s sister was diagnosed with Cancer.  It was that moment, that word, that brought about all the thoughts and prayers one could imagine into that small box of a room.  All you can do is sit and wonder about life, dreams, and all the other things you were planning for the future.  It is this moment you realize that all the other “things” about life don’t really matter all that much.  “Things can be replaced.”

This project, “Songs 4 St. Jude” came from a personal request from my roommate’s sister to play a song for her on Christmas.  Little did I know that the song, “Skin” by Rascal Flatts is about a young girl with cancer and I also didn’t know how to play piano.  I had a week and a half until this day.  A week and a half to learn Piano, Skin, and play it at our Christmas gathering.  Let’s say it was the best, most difficult, inspiring feeling that I have ever experienced and to this day gives me goosebumps thinking about that moment when I played the song for our families.  (Here’s a picture of that day, before the song)

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It was that story, that girl, that inspiration, that makes me start this project.  The live shows are just a way to let people know what I plan to do while helping to support St. Jude at the same time.  My goal is to head to St. Jude and write songs with the kids that we can then record, sell, and hopefully play live with the children someday.  While this will raise money for the families and the hospital, it can be a lot more of an intrinsic motivator to help children fight this disease.  I do this because I still have a true family friend around and can say that a big part of this is credited to St. Jude.

PROJECT IDEA

Here’s the deal… I want to go to St. Jude… In the meantime I am going to raise money with online concerts/shows…. Read below

Hopefully soon I want to go to St. Jude and help kids with cancer stay strong by showing them that they can write songs, create music, and sell the songs they write, then together we can help both the children and St. Jude.  I can show each child that if they can write a song, then I can help them see the bigger dream that they can do anything.  This is a project inspired from being personally affected by this terrible disease.  This project goes out to Michelle Roberts.

UPDATE:

THANK YOU EVERYONE!  WE RAISED OVER $400 in 30 minutes for St. Jude!