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Who ever said you can’t learn anything from watching television? Today, we’ll pull out a syndicated show. We recently caught the Waterworks episode of The Cosby Show. In this episode, Cliff (played by Bill Cosby) decided to fix the tile in the bathroom.

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When I was in the plumbing business, it seemed like just about every time someone called after trying to fix something themselves, it turned out to be more expensive than if they had just called us in the first place!

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Well, that’s exactly what happened! Cliff got in over his head. Clair (Cliff’s wife) and Theo (their son) began calling plumbers (without Cliff’s knowledge). In the midst of it, Sondra (their oldest daughter) called Clair, who filled her in on what was going on.

Sondra told Clair about some friends from college who had their own plumbing business. Cliff was perplexed – why would someone with a good degree from a good college become a plumber?

Jennifer (the head of the crew) said that trying something new isn’t throwing your field away. She went on to give some examples:

• Gauguin was a stock broker before he became a painter.

• Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – was a doctor before creating his unforgettable character, Sherlock Holmes.

• Shirley Chisholm had a Master’s in Elementary Education before she became a Congresswoman.

• Gandhi studied law before he became … well, Gandhi. 

Is there a profession lying within you just waiting to get out?

For many people, the second time’s a charm. The second career is the one that leads them to bigg success.

So if you find yourself considering a career change, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, here are a few tips:

You are the entrepreneur of your life. One of the things that entrepreneurs understand is that change means opportunity. So don’t resist change, welcome it. Better yet, look for it.

Next, redefine yourself. Bigg success is life on your own terms. Don’t define yourself too narrowly. Broaden your terms to find your bigg opportunity.

For example, if you’re in sales, do you sell tangibles or intangibles? No matter which one it is, there are a lot of occupations and industries to which your skills are transferable.

You’re still going to the same destination. You’re just going to ride in a different vehicle. For example – if you find yourself out of work, think about what you loved about your last job? What were you really good at? Look for those same things in your next career.

Remember that where there’s growth, there’s opportunity. A rising tide lifts all boats, as the saying goes. So look for industries or sectors where the number of jobs is expected to rise in the years ahead. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is a great place to research that.

You may find yourself going through a difficult time. You may find yourself longing for something better.

Think about Gauguin, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Shirley Chisholm and Gandhi. They found the second time was a charm.

Take all that you’ve learned about yourself and look for your opportunity for bigg success.

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Thanks so much the gift of your time today. Please join us next time when we think about school days. We’ll ask, “As adults, can we earn extra credit?” Until then, here’s to your BIGG success!

Subscribe to The Bigg Success Show in iTunes. 

Subscribe to the Bigg Success feed.

Direct link to The Bigg Success Show audio file:
http://media.libsyn.com/media/biggsuccess/00414-061109.mp3

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How does work affect homework?

The researchers examined how each hour of paid work affected the way high school students spent the rest of their time. They found that each hour of work reduced homework time by about five minutes, on average.

Sleep less

They cut back more than twice that amount – ten minutes total – on sleep. Maybe young people really are looking at us as role models!

Screen pass

The single biggest activity that they reduced was screen time – the average student spent 24 minutes less for every hour worked. The researchers defined screen time as:

• watching television and movies

• using the computer for leisure (except games)

• surfing the internet

• participating in chat room discussions

Setting priorities

Previous studies have shown that working only has a small negative effect on an average student’s performance. The researchers in this study conclude that they may have explained part of the reason. It may be that students who work cut back mostly on non-productive activities.

Why do busy people get more done?

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There’s that old saying, “If you want something done, get a busy person to do it.” I’ve found that on days when I have to get a lot done, I do. On days when there isn’t much on the agenda, I seem to step into a more leisurely pace and often don’t accomplish as much as I want. I do better when I keep a certain amount of stress on myself.

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I’m with you, George. When I have a lot on the to-do list, I’m more focused and less willing to allow for diversions.

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People who had juggled work and school were often my best employees. Their grades may have suffered a little, but the skills they learned about managing their time improved their performance in their full-time gig.

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When I think back to my high school days, I had a part-time job. I was a straight “A” student and was involved in several extracurricular activities – band, theater, and the speech team. I don’t know how I did it all! I certainly always had something to do. I was practicing for a competition or a show, doing homework or working. As a result, I can’t tell you much about the hit TV shows in the late 80s.

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But you know all about the music of that era! You’re a prime example of the students in this research study, Mary-Lynn. You pretty much eliminated unproductive play time. Your play time had a purpose.

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Don’t get too down on down time

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But I could have benefited from some play time just for fun. I could have used the time to relax and get in touch with myself.

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I completely understand what you’re saying. I think down time is so important. I often find that’s when I work out a solution to a problem that I’ve had trouble resolving. I may be looking at the screen, but I’m lost in my own thoughts. And it’s a good thing! I’m away from the pressure of the situation and my brain just flows.

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In our down time, we may be more creative than we are in a more structured environment. So it’s good not to underestimate its value.

Work time is good because it helps us stay more focused.

Productive play is good because it helps us expand our capacity.

But be careful that you don’t get so busy that you don’t allow any time for purely play.

How has down time helped you?

You can share that with us by leaving a comment below, calling us at 888.455.BIGG or sending us an e-mail at bigginfo@biggsuccess.com.

Thanks so much for checking in on us today.

Please join us next time when talk about what to do if life on your own terms creates conflict with the people around you.

Until then, here’s to your bigg success!

Subscribe to The Bigg Success Show in iTunes. 

Subscribe to the Bigg Success feed.

Direct link to The Bigg Success Show audio file:
http://media.libsyn.com/media/biggsuccess/0367-040709.mp3

Related posts

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(Image in today's post by ba1969)