Today is Festivus, a holiday made popular by the ’90s sitcom “Seinfeld” that includes, among other festivities, an airing of grievances. I’m an equal-opportunity celebrator, so here are some of my grievances about work in general:

• Cubicles: There’s no privacy, which means taking your cell phone to some quiet corner of the office if you need to discuss sensitive information -- or maybe not, based on some of the conversations I’ve overheard over the years. I literally have had dreams of having an office with a door.
  


• Bad Coffee: I am not a morning person, so my java jolt is a necessary daily evil. But I need to buy it on the way in, because I’m not really down with office coffee.
  


• Unplowed Parking Lots: Here in the Northeast, we’re reeling from a massive ice storm and two snowstorms in a row, so this is on my mind. I’ve almost taken a header just walking out to my car on many a snowy day.
  


• Unproductive Meetings: I think most meetings are unnecessary, and even the necessary ones could be streamlined.
  


• Climate Control? I’ve yet to work in an office that was a perfect temperature. Artic air conditioners in the summer mean long sleeves despite the weather, and too much heat in the winter calls for dressing in layers.

What are your top five gripes about office life? Leave a comment below. And on a lighter note: Happy Festivus, happy Hanukkah and merry Christmas to all. For many of us, the holidays mean time out of the office and with family, and that’s nothing to complain about.

It’s a classic stumbling block most people face especially at the beginning of their journey. They’re enthusiastic, pumped up, gung ho, put some plans into action to achieve their goals – and they fall flat on their face when it comes to the results that ensue.

What happens after this is crucial.

Most people carry over their emotions and attach them to the initial results of their journey and as we all know, those initial results aren’t pretty. The outcome is – “Oh woe is me, I’m an utter failure, a total loser”, etc., and they then go on a downward spiral that’s hard to climb out of, afraid to take action out of fear of what the results will be if they try again.

It’s easy to go down this path when you’re emotionally attached to your results because let’s face it, the results aren’t going to be that great initially and the emotions that come out of that are predominately fear and worry.

The first thing to realize is this:

It can’t be right the first time.

It just can’t.

It’s LUDICROUS to think that you can get it right form the get go.

NOBODY EVER DOES.

But it’s ok. It’s expected to be like that the first time.

And even if it does look like someone got it the first time, dig deeper into the past and you’ll see that it wasn’t perfect before at all the first time and that they corrected it along the way.

The second thing in regards to that is to step back and look at the big picture. What you’ll find when you look back on any journey you’ve taken to achieve a goal is that the journey looks like a long plateau where nothing gets done but you suddenly find yourself at the end of the plateau, able to climb to the next level. As you go along and make progress, the plateaus get shorter and shorter as you develop momentum and you go on to higher and higher levels faster and faster.

If you’re too zeroed in on the results in front of you, it’s easy to miss this big picture and stop at the beginning of the first long plateau.

Realize that it’s all simply a part of the process.

Three, realize that the more unattached you are, the more “mechanical” your actions become and the more mechanical they are, the more objective you can become with regard to analyzing the results of those actions.

If your actions are mechanical, it’s easy to DO things. It’s EASY to take action and look for feedback, and then correct accordingly and then take MORE action.

If you’re emotionally attached, you fear to take action because you think – “What if it doesn’t work again like when I tried it the first time or it’s not perfect enough for me to implement yet”, etc. You hesitate to take action and you get stuck in the phantom zone where nothing ever gets done.

DETACH yourself, make your actions mechanical, be objective and act like a scientist – become CURIOUS as to what the results will be.

Imagine if Edison was emotionally attached to the results of trying to invent the light bulb. He never would’ve made it by the third try.

10,000 tries can only be done if you have a mechanical and objective outlook on the results that ensue when you put your plans into action.

Fear and worry tend to manifest if you’re emotionally tied to the results, especially in the beginning because the results aren’t going to be pretty.

But realize that it’s ok that things don’t turn out good in the beginning.

Realize that’s how it’s supposed to be.

Then, see things in the big picture. Remember the plateau analogy. Don’t just quit on the first long plateau.

Become like a scientist. Have fun! Experiment. See what works and what doesn’t.

And just build on what does.

Emotions are great when used to drive you forward along the journey.

Not so great when you mix them up with the results of your efforts.

Detach your emotions from your results. Be mechanical. Analyze the results for feedback and correction. And take action once again.

And you’ll find those plateaus getting shorter and shorter and the results you want coming faster and faster.

Many people resolve to find a new job or otherwise improve their career situation in the new year. But amid a recession that will probably stretch well into 2009, is this still a worthy goal?

I would answer yes. You can start now: The holidays can be a great time to look for a job. In addition, budgets may be freed up in the new year for hiring, so laying the groundwork now could pay off later. And if you’re employed, you’ll want to batten down the hatches and hold on to the job you have.

So how do you accomplish all this? Check out these articles on kick-starting your job search, this one on job searching during a recession as well as the job search on Monster. And this article will help you safeguard your current job in tough times.

As always, if you have words of wisdom for your fellow workers, share them in the comments below. Happy holidays!

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing the CEO of PeopleJam.com Matt Edelman to get more information on his latest venture. I was first contacted about their site a couple weeks back and I must say it’s a bold idea that can really get going so in order to help spread the word, we decided to do an interview to get more people knowledgeable about the site and what it can do for them.

Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself and how the idea of PeopleJam.com came about?

I consider myself a very lucky guy.

I have an amazing family whom I adore - my wife and son inspire and fill me with awe and happiness every single day. I have active, rewarding relationships with my parents and siblings. I’ve been able to maintain strong friendships from every stage of my life and had the pleasure of seeing good friends of mine become great friends with each other, with a few marriages and families being the result.

In my professional life, I’ve been around some seriously smart people who have been willing to let me absorb every bit of knowledge they could impart. I’ve had the chance to succeed and fail, both of which have made me more capable and more determined.

Up until 2006, most of my career was about creating what I affectionately call “bubblegum for the brain.” Whether it was a movie based on Marvel Comics’ X-Men franchise or World Poker Tour’s Texas Hold ‘Em game for mobile phones, I’ve helped produce terrific, sometimes emotionally charged “time-wasters,” and also helped the companies where I worked build big businesses around them.

In late 2005, I became a father. Everything changed (not trying to be dramatic…it’s just what happened). New things started to become important, or at least more important than they had been before… I began to think much more about how to be a good father, a good husband, a better friend, a supportive colleague, etc. Saving money for the future became a bigger priority (especially after buying my first house) and staying in good shape became a bigger challenge…

Almost overnight, while I still enjoyed all the same “bubblegum,” I was no longer as passionate about it. My passion became ensuring the happiness, stability and good health of my family, and still figuring out how to achieve my personal goals. Oh, and I couldn’t bear the thought of not having as much fun in my future as I had in my past…that had to be part of the picture!

Being a new media junkie, I looked on the Internet for websites meant for people going through what felt to me like a giant transition into real adulthood. Short story is that I didn’t get much out of what I found.

I also realized that what I was looking for DID exist, just not online. It was captured in a whole bunch of great resources I discovered “offline,” and they generally were organized within the world of self-improvement (you know,…the books, DVDs, seminars, workshops…all that stuff you make fun of when you see the late night infomercial…but you end up buying and trying anyway).

The serial entrepreneur in me took over from there, which is what lead to PeopleJam.

What’s the meaning behind the site name?

Musicians “Jam” when they’re really in the groove of playing great music. Athletes “Jam” when they’re playing their best out on the field. People “Jam” when they’re achieving their life goals, meeting challenges head on and making things better in their own life.

What can people expect to find when they go to PeopleJam.com?

When someone goes to PeopleJam.com, they will find a list of the most valuable products and services that can help improve their life in whatever area they’re focused on improving. If you’re looking for help in areas such as your finances, relationships, fitness and more, PeopleJam provides a list of the resources that are most worth your time and money. Our community acts as a filter that helps ensure the best products and services rise to the surface, which means a visit to PeopleJam is the most efficient way to decide what resources are worthwhile.

Why should people want to join PeopleJam.com?

PeopleJam members can offer their opinions of what products truly can make a difference in people’s lives. Members also can connect with each other around shared experiences, aspirations and learnings. Everyone is an expert in their own life, so if another person’s life seems similar to yours, there’s a good chance they can help you navigate the challenges you’re facing. Membership allows you to reach out to these people.

How can people get the very most out of PeopleJam.com in order to improve their lives?

We have two types of users on our site…

Our core users write reviews, blog and interact with each other. For someone who is passionate about getting the most out of life, using these tools to share your thoughts about what works – and what doesn’t – in self-improvement is best way to get the most out of the site.

The majority of our users are looking for a specific solution. They want to find the best resource to meet their needs - the weight loss program that will get real results; the DVD that will sharpen job interview skills; the seminar that will make relationships more rewarding. To get the most out of our site, this group of users just has to be lead by us to the most valuable resource that will make a difference in their life.

Seeing as how PeopleJam.com is full of reviews, are there any reviews of self improvement books that have personally helped you in your life that you want to share with others?

There’s a great review of Tom Peters’ book, “Re-Imagine” that inspired me to read the book. That’s really what our site is meant to do – if you’re looking for a resource that can have an impact on your life, our reviews will help you decide if the resource has that potential for you. Our reviewers don’t just share their thoughts about the resources they review; they share the reasons why that resource will – or won’t – matter in the pursuit of your goals.

Re-Imagine has made me think differently in ways that have improved my life. I’m grateful to the reviewer who inspired me!

Also, seeing as how you’ve been able to achieve so much in your life, are there any pearls of wisdom or gold nuggets of advice you want to give to those who are currently on the journey toward achieving their own dreams in life?

I’m not sure that I’ve achieved “so much” in my life. I certainly am happy with what I’ve accomplished and I’m excited that I’ve been given a chance through PeopleJam to have a positive impact on everyone who visits our site. But I haven’t changed the world…yet! 

A piece of advice – in order to achieve your potential throughout your life, you need to be able to be yourself in every aspect of your life.

Too many of us have trouble allowing the different components of our character to play a role in the various situations we encounter. Maybe we keep our playful side hidden at work. Maybe we keep our serious side hidden on a date. Maybe we keep our gregarious side hidden when at an event without a companion.

These decisions – and they ARE decisions, as each of us can DECIDE to handle things differently – prevent us from getting the most out of our lives, our relationships, our capabilities and our minds.

Being yourself isn’t always easy, but the more you force yourself to do it, the easier it will become and the more fulfilled you will be.

What do you see in store for PeopleJam.com going into the future? What’s your ultimate vision for it?

The ultimate vision for PeopleJam is to provide people with a highly personalized list of the products and services that can best improve their life – in every area of their life, at each stage of their life.

When it comes to everything from overcoming daily challenges to achieving your maximum potential, people need support, tools, assistance, information, guidance and more. PeopleJam is well on our way to providing each and every individual with the most relevant, valuable and reliable resources that will help them make every day just a little bit better.

Is there anything else you want to tell others about PeopleJam.com that wasn’t covered in the interview?

We don’t have all the answers about what will make our site a great experience for every visitor. We don’t know everything we need to know about how to ensure that PeopleJam truly can help people overcome the obstacles that are in the way of their goals and aspirations.

The only way we’ll be able to do better is by knowing from our users how to be better. We want and need to improve more than anyone and we’re always interested in suggestions on how to get there. Please help us help ourselves.

I want to say thank you to Matt for taking the time to do this interview. I really appreciate it. I think the site concept itself is a great idea. There is a lot of information out there so it’s nice to have a filter to separate everything. I personally feel that there is too much information out there as well and I strive to filter the information via my writing as well as come up with new ideas and new ways of looking at things to make things easier to understand but it’s always nice to venture out and broaden your horizon to see what else is out there too.

I invite you all to check out PeopleJam.com to see what it’s all about and what it can do for you.

It’s official: We are in a recession and have been since last December. It’s also official that in response, corporate holiday parties are down this year. According to executive search firm Battalia Winston Amrop, fewer companies are holding holiday events in 2008 (Word file download) than they did post-9/11, representing a 20-year low. Ouch.

The good news is that many companies are donating to charity instead. And for those fans of the company holiday party, other firms are scaling back rather than canceling the party outright, holding potluck events in the office rather than having catered affairs at expensive off-site venues.

I’m torn. On the one hand, there’s an argument that with economic collapse and layoffs all around us, celebrating is inappropriate. On the other, having some kind of event may get our minds off the dismal economic situation, meaning parties are more important than ever.

What do you think? Leave your comments below. And if your company is still holding a party, check out these resources and cautionary tales:

• “Office Holiday Party Etiquette”
  
• “Navigate Company Events”
  
• ABCNews.com: “Holiday Horror...at the Office Party”