Atlas Shrugged

A few months back I had a close friend and mentor of mine suggest I read Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. We had been discussing some work related issues and he was trying to help me understand a very important point. In short, the book did exactly what he wanted; it made his point very clear for me.

Of course I would be remiss if I did not mention that nothing about this book is short. No sir, it is a lengthy read. When I discuss it with others I am often told about how some started to read it but never finished. It took me about three months to find the time to get it done, with a bulk of that time coming in the last two weeks (in case you were wondering why I have not been blogging as much it is because I have been reading more).

On top of being a long read, Rand has a style that I can only compare to Stephen King. Both authors like to go on, and on, and on, and on…Rand makes a good point, then makes it again, and again, for a dozen pages or more. King does the same thing (ever read The Stand? or the Talisman?) Honestly, I would lose interest in more than one section of the book, even crucial parts, simply because I grew frustrated trying to get through the 5pt font and her writing style. I am certain I will need to reread sections of it again in the future, mostly as a point of reference.

So, why was it such a good book? Why would I bother writing a blog entry about something that is 52 years old, long, wordy, and slightly dated? Because there is a lot of items in that book that apply to your professional development. Actually, there is a lot in that book that applies to your life outside of work as well. But I am going to focus on just a few of the more important items that I took away from it for now, I am sure more will sink in over the coming weeks as I reflect back.

Motivation

A long time ago I was told by an employer, upon hearing that I was in college, that “…education is good, but education combined with motivation is the key to success. Get those two together and nothing gets in your way.” So, what motivates, or even energizes you these days? Do you even know? If so, that’s great, because a lot of people have no idea what it is tat they find motivating or energizing. Now, on top of that discovery, here comes the important question:

Are you currently in an environment that promotes or nurtures your motivations?

Yeah, tough question to ask, and an even tougher question to answer, right? I mean, no one wants to admit to themselves that they do not enjoy going to work, or that it is not the right place for them to be. It would be similar to feeling as if you need to break up with your girlfriend. You know you need to do it, everyone else knows you need to do it, but you don’t because you hate the idea of the confrontation and you hate the idea that you may not find anyone else. (Of course, if you have found someone else, then the conversation is much easier).

In the book you get to understand what motivates each of the central characters. You find some people who try to change things by working within a system, and others who try to change things by working outside of a system. Think of your motivations, your environment, and how you would enact your own change. Do you do it while maintaining the status quo, or do you simply pull up stakes and make a new life for yourself somewhere else?

Tangible Results Matter Most

Sad, but true, is the fact that few people care about your efforts. What they really care about are products. I don’t care how potatoes are grown or how chemicals are manufactured in New Jersey, all I care about is how good the fries taste at McDonald’s. The gasoline I use in my car? It doesn’t matter how it got to the pump, all I care about is the price. Same in your corporate life. Production is what matters most.

You must deliver upon your promises but not be so completely focused on “getting things done” that you fail to see the larger picture.

What makes this a sad fact of reality is that often times people are so focused on the product that they completely lose sight of issues that would not be tolerated otherwise. Consider a popular rock star. When they are on top of the world producing hit records they can go into any arena and scream at the roadies for not picking out the brown M&M’s from a bowl in the dressing room. They can treat people like dirt and get away with it because they are producing. But the moment they stop producing they are no longer able to get away with treating others so poorly and their world collapses.

Love What You Do

Many people who know me know that I used to coach basketball. I actually hesitated getting involved in coaching because there was little money involved. But I came across some good advice one day from a friend.

When you have a passion for something, you should do it, and if you get paid for your passion that is just icing on your cake.

Essentially, when you love your work, it is real easy to do  your job and do it well. I loved coaching, and I still do. But I also love being involved in the SQL community, volunteering for PASS, writing blogs and articles, and making presentations when asked. None of this feels like work because I enjoy it very much. Most of the jobs I have enjoyed in my life are ones where I was able to help others, especially the times when people sought my help and were open to receiving my help. That pretty much describes the majority of my days right now, I get to help others.

I also get paid and no one should ever feel ashamed for asking for money for the work they produce. For some people that can be a very hard thing to get past, they always struggle with the idea that someone else would place a value on their work. I got past that hurdle a long time ago. They say money can’t buy love but I can certainly quote you a price on passion, just ask.

I tried to describe the book as a Lord of the Flies but without all the little boys running around trying to slaughter wild boars and picking on the fat kid. It’s for adults, there is little to no mention of children, and one of the central characters has enough sexual partners that by the end of the story she is in a room full of men she has slept with and none of the men seem to have a problem with that even though they have all still expressed desires for her. But I don’t want to give away too much, you will need to read it for yourself to decide how best to describe her at the end.