Have you ever watched a kid at “work”? He or she is so absorbed that nothing else matters. There’s no checking the clock to see how much time has passed. There’s no distraction or boredom or frustration. Just pure focus. They are so fascinated by what they’re doing that they don’t want to do anything else.
I’m convinced that this is the secret to happiness, to be so in love with the work at hand that just the act of doing it is its own reward. In that work we will find our greatest talents, a peace that can’t be disturbed, a joy that can barely be described. That’s what we’re aiming for – to love our work so much that it becomes play, that there is no separation between our head and our heart. Then the feeling of fulfillment becomes not something we pursue. It’s just something that we are.
Sometimes things don’t go according to plan. For some of us it might seem like things never go according to plan. Here’s what I’ve learned: a project has a life of its own. It does a dance between bending to our will and flying off the track at its own accord. That’s just the nature of work, of life. What we can do is stay true to ourselves. We can remember why we started the project in the first place and keep our eye on that mission as our guide. It’s our True North.
My friend, Michael, has told me many times that we must begin as we wish to go. In the beginning, we have a focus, a goal, and a reason for putting our energy and time into a dream. In the beginning, our intent is at its purest state. We have to hang onto that. There will be distractions along any path. People’s opinions will sway us. Our experience with the project may cloud our vision over time. We can reset and center ourselves by going back to the beginning, by remembering and honoring the intention that started us on our journey. That is where we must look for continued inspiration, for hope, for strength. It’s all in the seed, always.
So if you find yourself frustrated, tired, disappointed, or confused, don’t despair. Allow the clarity of your beginning dream to be the force that drives your forward.
Very happy to share the news that my commercial voice over demo is complete and uploaded. Here is the link if you’d like to give it a listen: http://www.voices.com/people/christanyc.
Now it’s time to get to get out there, learn from, and share with the voice over community. Over the next few months, I’ll be hard at work using this demo as I build this new dimension and service to my content development business. I’m excited for the journey ahead! Here’s a little bit more info about me and my work:
About my voice:
Smooth voice of a trusted source, friend, and girl-next-door. Honest and personal with a sense of humor that is both subtle and smart. Communicate an authentic upbeat enthusiasm while remaining classy, knowledgable, and professional. Range varies from conversational to charming to sultry.
What clients get by working with me:
I am a storyteller. I’m collaborative, easy to work with, insanely prompt, diligent, and take direction well. My job is to deliver a voice over that clients love that represents their brands and products in the very best light.
As a journalist I cover the convergence of culture, technology, and business. I also write slice-of-life pieces and conduct one-on-one interviews for feature writing. Additionally, I am a playwright, book editor, and write on-brand content for companies.
I have an MBA from the Darden School at UVA and have worked in strategic marketing and product development roles at American Express, Toys R Us, Disney, The Home Depot, and several large nonprofit organizations. I began my career in management for Broadway shows and national theater tours.
If you are interested in working with me, or know someone who is, send me a message at christa.avampato@gmail.com.
My pup, Phineas, has a Twitter account. You can check him out @PhineasNYC. Why is Phin on Twitter? Because he’s got a lot to say and a lot to teach others. He teaches me every day and quite frankly I feel selfish keeping all of that knowledge to myself. Phin deserves to have a platform to spread himself around to as many people as possible. The little guy needs a megaphone to be a broadcaster of goodness for animals everywhere and the people who love them. After much deliberation about which platform to use, we decided to start with Twitter. Messages are short and mighty, just like him.
Here’s what he plans to do with his Twitter account: 1.) Daily observations on a dog’s life in the big city with pictures and videos 2.) Spreading the word about good causes related to helping animals, especially, though not exclusively, dogs 3.) Promoting products he loves – from treats to squeaky toys and everything in-between 4.) Tips for pet parents on topics like pet health, separation anxiety, adopting a pet, and special deals on pet products and services 5.) Indulge his many funny bones
Phin and I are excited for his new online adventure. The world needs more goodness, more levity, and more dachshunds.
A couple of days ago, it was 60 degrees in New York. Phineas didn’t even need a sweater on his walks. All of the businesses and apartment buildings flung open their doors to let in the warm sunshine. Phin didn’t hesitate; he wanted to take advantage of the situation and check out every single one, mostly because a lot of them have treats for the local dogs. As the saying goes, “His mama didn’t raise no fools.” Here’s what little Phin taught me by his actions:
1.) Don’t count yourself out of the running.
Too often we talk ourselves out of opportunities that are right in front of us. Thoughts like “Why me? I bet there’s a lot of competition. I shouldn’t even bother trying. I’ll just be disappointed when it doesn’t work out.” We self-sabotage before we even give ourselves a chance. Not Phineas. If that door is open, he’s going through it. Others may try to stop him (me included!), but he’s not discounting his own actions. He leaves that to someone else.
2.) Be bold.
Hold your head up high and never underestimate your own capabilities. Phin is a whopping 16 pounds and 6 inches at the shoulder. He’s a little dude but you’ve never know it from his attitude. I wonder where he learned that from…
3.) Have a mission and stay focused.
Phin’s looking for two things when he walks through open doors – treats and attention. He also has a an insatiable sense of curiosity, often to my dismay because he checks out every square inch of the ground he traverses. We need to do the same: Know why we’re doing what we’re doing and why we’re going where we’re going. And always learn. Every circumstance has something to teach us.
These lessons are a reminder that Phineas is one of the best teachers I’ve ever had. I continue to be amazed by everything he shows me just by being who he is in every moment. That level of integrity, strength of character, and unwavering commitment to authenticity inspires me.
I don’t ever write anything unless I believe it and support it 100%. That kind of standard has a price. I have a client that wanted me to write a post about crime in Central Park. This is a perfect topic for me because I live on the park and go at least once a day with Phin. I’m very passionate about the park and I like to share my passion for the place with readers. In the past couple of months, I’ve been alarmed by the crimes reported in New York City’s parks, Central Park included. In addition to analyzing crime stats of Central Park for the piece for this client, I also wanted to include a list of safety tips, particularly geared toward tourists who visit the park for the first time.
The client wants a rewrite. They want the piece to be softer and to position the park as a very safe place as opposed to being more data and safety-oriented. They also want it filled with links back to other parts of their site that have nothing to do with crime. I won’t do the re-write and here’s why:
1.) Crime and safety are not soft subjects and they are not topics that should be sugar-coated. Balanced certainly, but being soft on crime in content development is irresponsible. Readers need to armed with the facts: Central Park is far safer than it was 20 years ago and visitors still need to keep safety top-of-mind. They shouldn’t take safety in Central Park for granted because crime is down compared to 20 years ago.
2.) I’m protecting the site from a potential PR disaster. Let’s say that a tourist reads this “softer” article on crime and is lulled into a false sense of security during their visit. If something should happen to that visitor and they say, “I read on (name of site) that Central Park is so safe and look what happened to me” the site could be held responsible. That’s not a risk I’m willing to take with someone’s safety.
3.) Link loaded pieces, under the guise of content marketing, are no better than spam. A few links are helpful. 20 links in one article looks ridiculous. Whenever I see a piece loaded with links, I don’t even read it because I assume it is no better than a paid advertisement. I think this type of piece crosses an ethical line for the sake of marketing. I’ll leave that to other people who want to write those kinds of pieces. It’s not for me.
I did publish the piece, as is, on Allvoices.com. As freelancers, we cobble together our living from a number of different sources. Every dollar counts and sometimes it can feel like we’re backed into a corner, subject to extreme editing (many times by people who are not writers, nor editors) for the benefit of paying clients and at a detriment to our own standards. It’s tough to walk away from money. It’s even more difficult to walk away from money for work I’ve already done and won’t be paid for because I refuse to compromise my principles. However, I go to bed every night with a clear conscience knowing I’ve helped a lot of people and not harmed any. And that’s much more important.
Focus. Every time I think of entrepreneurs I admire, they all have this one quality in common.
My friend, Alex, has mentioned the story of Spanx founder Sara Blakely to me several times over the years. Sara created a women’s hoisery product that shook up an industry. At 42, she is the only female self-made billionaire in the world.
I’ve been inspired by Sarabeth Levine of Sarabeth‘s restaurant and specialty food company ever since seeing her a while back on a morning talking show. Sarabeth turned her family’s 200-year-old recipe for Orange-Apricot Marmalade that she made in her kitchen into a company that now has a jam factory, 9 restaurants, and an entire specialty food company.
Frownies are another amazing product created by a single female entrepreneur, Margaret Kroesen, who continuously turned difficult circumstances into business opportunities with her beauty products. She created her original wrinkle-reducing facial pads in 1889 for herself and her daughter to reduce fine lines and wrinkles without harsh skin treatments.
These entrepreneurs built companies based upon one single product that they perfected. These women created a simple product they loved and then pounded the pavement to get it into the hands of people who would benefit from it. What one, simple product can you build, perfect, and sell to begin crafting your story and your fortune?
I’m all for big leaps. Big, daring gestures that signal a new beginning. I’m also a fan of small steps, those tiny changes we make in our day-to-day that add up over time through dedication and hard work. Tiny steps can be frustrating. We want so much to move forward quickly and efficiently. When we’re ready for change we want it right here, right now in a big way that we can feel and others can see. However, there is so much beauty, so much learning in those tiny steps. They are no less worthy and deserve every bit as much celebration as the big ones. They pave the way, too. So don’t wait and save yourself for the opportunity to take a big step. If you can take a small one today, then do it. It’s still progress. It still has value and meaning. It helps prepare us for the big step that eventually we will be able to make.
Have you noticed that the world is getting kinder? That it’s making criminals out of meanies? That people clamor to be a part of something good? Between the appreciation for veterans, massive outpouring of love for Batkid, and limelight shed on bullying in pro and college sports teams, this week alone is proving to be a triumph for niceness, appreciation, and courage in the face of difficult circumstances. For too long kindness has been underrated. We have awful sayings like “nice guys / gals finish last” and “sticks and stones…” I’m glad that we’re turning the tide, that nice is getting the press it deserves. Let’s create a world where nice people finish first every time and where name calling isn’t tolerated under any circumstances. That’s the world I’m excited to build. Are you in?
We focus too much on obstacles. We think about all the competition, how difficult it is to do the things we want to do. Here’s what I know: it’s all hard. Everything has its challenges. There isn’t a single dream out there that lacks its fair share of stumbling blocks. Challenges show us just how much we really want something. Do we give up at the first sign of difficulty or do we find another way around, over, and through anything that blocks our path? Challenges reveal our dedication. They test us. And in the end they save us time by giving us new skills, renewed strength, and the knowledge of whether or not this is a dream that’s worth chasing down. When you think about your dreams, stop asking yourself, “Why me? Why should I be able to do this?” and starting saying, “Why not me? Why shouldn’t I have every dream I’m willing to work for?” Pretty soon, it won’t be a question of if. Only a question of when.
Christa Avampato 