When we moved into our house several years ago, it came with a large (21' x 21') unfinished room in the basement.  The floors and walls were cold concrete and block.  We decided to put a ping pong table in it which gave it some limited functionality when we had friends over, but otherwise it was generally wasted space.  My wife and I called a local contractor and asked for an estimate to frame the room, hang drywall, run electrical outlets, and prime it.  To save some money, I was willing to paint it and we were confident we could get a good deal on carpet. $10,265. That was the estimate received in December of 2016.  My wife and I couldn't believe the price, so we spoke to another local contractor who confirmed that this was about right for this kind of work.  I looked at my wife and said "Hey, I bet I could do a really cool theater room for a fraction of the price."  She agreed to turn me loose as long as I was less than the contractor's...

Ok all you creators out there, I am hereby declaring August 11th "Adopt a Problem Day."  If you remember back in the Responsible and Victimized post, we talked about how crucial it is for creators to be uncommonly responsible  for the outcome of things they value.  So, to put that into practice, your homework assignment for August 11th is to adopt a problem.  What does it mean to adopt a problem?  Just take these four steps: Step 1 (Pick it): Take five minutes to think about the problems that nag you on a daily basis.  Maybe the garage is a complete mess.  Maybe there's a fence that needs painted.  Maybe one of the kids is not doing so well in math class.  If you are like me, there's no shortage of things that you just never get around to... but today you only get to pick one.  If you have your personal life completely in order, there's bonus points for adopting someone else's problem!  Step 2 (Plan it it): C...

Greetings and welcome back to Consumers and Creators! If you are new to C&C, you can check out my Start Here post.  We are slowly working our way around the Creator’s Wheel , but just before we get started, below are links to the areas we've discussed to date if you need to get caught up: Creators are Responsible and Consumers are Victimized Creators are Honest and Consumers are Defensive Creators are Encouraging and Consumers are Judgmental  Creators are Lean and Consumers are Wasteful Creators are Disciplined and Consumers are Negligent  Today we’ll continue working our way around the  wheel by looking at the compassionate trait of the creator and contrasting it to the selfish trait of the consumer, so let’s get started. There is a branch in the earth that I encounter every day.  No, it’s not a proverbial branch, it is an actual stick in my backyard.  It reaches high above the other foliage on my back hill.  It appears to have som...

We've not spent very much time in the yellow quadrant of the creator’s wheel .   This is the “grateful” hallmark and is how a creator interacts with others.   Whereas the entitled consumer is selfish, judgmental, and hoarding, you are the grateful creator and are compassionate, encouraging, and generous.   Specifically for this post, I’d like to focus on the creator’s encouraging trait and the consumer’s judgmental trait. We’ll start with a scenario so you can weigh where you are on the continuum. A neighbor of yours who lives in a big new house down the street always has the nicest cars, the most elaborate vacations, boats, motorcycles, and other toys.   You know that they make about the same amount as you do because they are in the same career field that you are in.   One day you see a For Sale sign up in their yard.   Another neighbor notices you staring in that direction and runs over to tell you that the bank is foreclosing on the house an...

In the Why? post I briefly introduced the concept of a "creator".  The word “creator” is not simply talking about “one who creates” as the formal definition would suggest.  Likewise, a consumer is not simply “one who consumes”.  These labels were chosen because the words provoke an image that is the essence of self identification that I hope to write more about.  Where consumers are conventional, reactive, entitled, and indifferent.  Creators are creative, proactive, grateful, and passionate.  In fact, it is these hallmarks that I believe fundamentally distinguish the consumer from the creator, and I'll try to link back to them in future discussions. So, why should you embrace the life of the creator? What’s in it for you?  How about a deep enriching, healthy life full of joy, success, and enduring relationships.  Oh, and did I mention as an unintended consequence, the creator will often find his or herself entangled in staggeri...