Career Coach: 'Tis the Season for Giving
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." -- Mohandas Gandhi
One of my favorite movies is It's a Wonderful Life, which is popular viewing at Christmastime because it takes place around the holidays. But it is not just about Christmas -- it's about how a small town businessman affects the lives of everyone he encounters during his life. George Bailey is given the chance to see how he has touched the lives of everyone in his community and outside it as well by having his request granted -- "I'd wish I'd never been born" -- and then learning what the world would be like without him.
You affect all the people you encounter too, whether you realize it or not. You won't be given the opportunity to see what the world would be like if you weren't in it, but you have the power to have an effect on everyone you meet. You can be a force for goodwill and cheer and encouragement or you can have a negative impact on those around you. The choice is yours.
No matter where you live or what job you have, you can improve the life of someone else. Recently my daughter and I visited a Walmart in Boise, Idaho. Neither of us was in a great mood as we walked through the store and got in line to check out. Matt, the cashier, greeted us with an attitude that was so overwhelmingly positive that it changed our mood. When Matt said, "Thanks for coming in today" both my daughter and I felt like he genuinely meant it and we were both smiling when we left the store. Matt was able to lift our spirits with his incredible spirit. When I got home I started to put my receipt away and then noticed the number of the store manager on the receipt. Inspired, I called the store to lodge a compliment and told the manager about our wonderful experience with Matt. The manager told me this was not the first time she had heard great things about Matt. In his own small way, Matt was making a difference.
I recently read The Fred Factor by Mark Sanborn. Sanborn describes how his postman Fred makes a difference by the way he serves the people on his route. His point is that passion in your work and life can turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. Artists touch people through their work. The projects you work on can have a powerful impact on others so work on projects which have value to you, not just in a paycheck, but in the story and message. We can all remember being positively inspired, encouraged or touched by creative works. Wouldn't that be a great gift to give to others?
This month is the season for giving, but why not make it a habit all year round? Give of yourself -- a smile to a stranger, encouragement to a younger artist, a helping hand to someone in need. I write a lot about networking -- about building relationships for the long term. But you can help someone in the short term too, just by showing a little extra kindness or positivity, like Matt, the Walmart clerk.
Give of yourself all year round in small ways and you can make a huge difference in the world, whether it is with your family, your school or at your job. You can be the difference. The choice is yours and the action is yours to take. Make the most of every day and add value to someone else's life and you'll add value to your own. Like Matt, the Walmart cashier, you can create value for others and it won't cost you anything. Just adopt a positive attitude and spread the goodwill toward everyone.
The angel Clarence (Henry Travers) in It's a Wonderful Life reminds us: "Strange isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives."
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Yes, I couldn't agree with everything posted more... I admit, I am one of those "talented" artists who for a long time thought, "gee, I can draw, and I've always loved cartoons, so I should be an animator!". But recently I've gotten into an animation internship and realized, "wow. There's a heck of a lot more involved with this then I'm really capable of-- and I haven't even really scratched the surface yet!". Not to mention I'm a bit of a dunce when it comes to computers. Sure, I can type and send e-mail-- but a five year old can do that, I'm sure. For years I was on the fence about getting into animation, and of course everyone around me (while they meant well, didn't try to persuade me to think differently) had comments like, "you're so good at drawing! You should go work for Disney!" I can't tell you how many times in my life I've heard that one, like Disney will take any starry eyed Joe Schmoe or Jane Schmane just because they can twirl a pencil around with a degree of grace.
Then of course, let's not forget all the money it would take to get into animation school, especially hard to swallow for someone who is as I put, 'on the fence'. Ugh. Times like these I wish I could just win the lottery and have my problems solved...
At the end of the day, colleges need to start getting honest about what the animation industry is: SMALL.
When you go to animation school, you learn a very specific set of skills for a very specific industry.
The animation industry is not a typical one. It's highly specialized and competitive. And unless you're very passionate about what you're doing, you're going to have a very hard time finding work or keeping it.
It's not like completing a science or engineering degree where the skills you learn are quite broad and entitle you to a very large range of positions.
Colleges need to pull back the veil and make students extra aware of the industry they're pursuing. There's a reason why creative careers are often difficult, and that reason is not being touted enough in our animation schools.. because animation programs have become very profitable for colleges.. but as someone else pointed out, the ethics of admission into these programs has gone down the toilet. And I'm referring to the big name schools.
Don't be fooled. Do your research.
Agreed. Extra naughty points go to the colleges who assure every single student that sure, you'll get a job somewhere in the industry! The admissions officer at my school seriously told applicants that 100% of grads got a job within 6 months. Guess how honest he turned out to be.
The entire time I was in school, my teachers swore I could get a job upon graduation. I was talented! I was a hard worker! Surely I'll get a job soon, I just had to have faith!
These days they don't return my calls. They have my money and all I have to show for it is intense self-loathing and deep shame because I will never dig myself out of this financial rut. Thanks animation school!
The problem is that many students enroll into animation programs because they have a passing interest in movies/cartoons. They figure "Hey! I like to draw, and animation is all the rage." Much of the time, these people are quite talented, but not really passionate nor skilled in the ways they need to be to succeed as an animator. This is largely the fault of the college admission process no longer being as strict. Basically, if you have artistic talent, you're in. However, the result is a lot of kids who want to be hired because they're talented, as opposed to possessing a strong desire to improve in the art of animation.
College can't give you something you don't already possess.
COLLEGES need to bring back ETHICS and begin making classes smaller. There are too many artists masquerading as animation professionals.
How do you instruct 30-40 people per class? In a year of 120 or more? In the past, animation was an taught in more of an apprenticeship style. Now, a few gifted people squeak through to the limelight, and colleges claim they had something to do with it.
In a 4 year program, you have approximately what? 500 animation students? And how many jobs in the industry? Not to mention all other colleges offering animation programs? It's becoming a joke.
^ i totally agree with you.
besides think of all the saturation.
Dear Santa,
Why do colleges enroll so many students knowing there's no industry to sustain them? Isn't that unethical?
Colleges should go on the naughty list. They're greedy.
Love,
Unemployed and trying to build a life in a recession, but more likely to change life view to compensate for
feelings of inadequacy and lack of independence.
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