{"id":4137,"date":"2015-07-20T13:21:49","date_gmt":"2015-07-20T17:21:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=4137"},"modified":"2015-09-14T16:09:31","modified_gmt":"2015-09-14T20:09:31","slug":"jon-acuff-on-character-at-work-9-quotes-a-challenge-part-4-of-the-do-over-series","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=4137","title":{"rendered":"Jon Acuff on Character at Work – 9 Quotes & a Challenge – Part 4 of the Do Over Series"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Blog<\/a>Photo Credit: Nancy Ray Photography<\/a><\/p>\n

Who would have thought reading a business book would become a deeply personal experience? Encouraging. Empowering. Do Over<\/em>\u00a0<\/a>has launched itself in my life. Jon (the writer) and Jenny (the wife) Acuff have become like good friends, in a virtual book-driven way. He’s clearly a funny, risk-taking,\u00a0keen observer of people in the workplace.\u00a0 She, on the other hand, seems to both hold his feet to the ground and spur him on to what’s next. I’m pretty certain that Jon’s “do over” has Jenny written all over it. Thank you, Jenny.<\/p>\n

When he talks about character (in the section of the book I’m covering today), he compares it to planting\u00a0fruit trees. Character takes time to grow. Its fruit is worth the work and the wait.<\/p>\n

As in previous blogs in this series, Jon will do most of the talking.<\/p>\n

9\u00a0quotes follow. Also an exercise and a closing challenge. I hope you read the book. It is seriously, or not so much seriously, like grappling with a friend about a deep longing for career. Then receiving the best. advice. ever. Jon’s cool, and all…but his own fight for humility and honesty and his own fears and failures give him a platform. A platform\u00a0to talk into my life and into the lives of those I love the most – my husband and my adult children. Thank you, Jon.<\/p>\n

So here’s a bit of what he says about character and its impact on us in the workplace…especially in considering a Career Jump<\/strong>.\"Blog<\/a><\/p>\n

“Relationships get you the first gig. Skills get you the second. Character is the reason that people will still want to give you another chance if the first opportunity fails. Character is the mortar between all the other parts [relationships<\/a>, skills<\/a>, hustle]\u00a0of the Career Savings Account. It’s what holds the other things together. “<\/em><\/p>\n

“Character is also what you need the most when you make a positive, voluntary career transition, or what we’re calling a “Career Jump.” You need it the most then because it will be tested the most when you ‘just go for it’ or ‘chase a dream’.” <\/em><\/p>\n

“When you make a [career] jump, you will be tempted to cut corners, to quit when the going gets tough and lose your patience when the results you expected don’t immediately happen. It is your character that will push you forward.”<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Exercise:<\/strong> This time we don’t use note cards, but a notebook would be handy. Jon asks the question:\u00a0What’s one character trait, related to your career, that you’d like to grow stronger?<\/strong> That’s where we start. You might still want a friend’s help in this. None of us are perfect, so it shouldn’t be too difficult. Just pick one to start.<\/p>\n

As part of this exercise, consider those weeds in the workplace that could choke out that character trait you’re planting and nurturing. Jon lists four especially nasty (and all too common) ones:<\/p>\n