- Ellie Mayner
Get Inspired!
For a recent job interview that I had, I was asked to choose a book from a reading list to read beforehand. This is something I have never previously been asked to do, but I am really interested in the job and it is everything I am looking for so I will do everything I can to get it! (But we won’t mention the fact I was never asked about it in the interview!) This aside I loved the book, it has truly inspired me and therefore also shows what a brilliant company it is that asked me to read it and what they strive to achieve alongside their employees. If you need inspiration to get motivated and need tips on success in work and lifestyle then this book will help.
‘Success is simple, do what’s right, the right way, at the right time.’ – Arnold H Glasow
The One Thing - Gary Keller
The book prides itself on delivering simple truths with extraordinary results, and is true to its word. It is an easy read and very enjoyable, if you are someone who is always looking to improve yourself and the work you do, then you would get a lot from this book.
‘Life isn’t about finding yourself, life is about creating yourself.’ – George Bernard Shaw
There are aspects of the book which are able to help with life, how to manage will-power correctly and a work/life balance. Keys to successes, whether that is being productive, multitasking or prioritizing your work. And also, more generally how to be successful in all you do. This book really has something for everyone and if you still aren’t convinced then carry on reading and I will tell you how it has helped me!
How Can it Relate to You?
‘If you are passionate about something you can make it a skill, and if you are skilled at something you can make it a profession.’ – Gary Keller
It doesn’t matter whether you have a job or are seeking employment, running your own business or studying, this book can help! Something that really stood out to me when reading this book was the quote above. My love for photography started as a hobby when I was 12, I was the annoying child who would put thousands of the same unedited, repetitive photographs of horses on Facebook like this next photo (don’t get me wrong I’m still that annoying girl but i'm hoping my photos are better now).
I would spend hours walking around the field just trying to get the best photos, and eventually I began to turn it into a skill, if you practise enough you will get good at something. Working out depth of field and the best times of day to shoot instantly improved my photographs. People began to enjoy what I did and ask me to take photographs for them, this is when I really decided that I dreamt of doing photography as a profession.
The images above are an example of my growth as a photographer from a very young age, the first image I took when I was 14, this photograph was captured in the moment there is no editing or correction going on in post this is the raw photograph. As you can see the sun being to the left and it being a dark horse, with no post production the image is too dark. The second image I took when I was 16 years old, I had begun editing in Adobe Photoshop and worked on creating a more professional looking photograph that people would love of their horses. Thinking about how location and seasonal colours would make for a better photograph and creating a depth of field, but this is still a opportunistic photograph. The final photograph I took when I was 19, being at university had really made me think outside the box and push my skills further, wishing to be able to make my portrait photography stand out and be captivating. This shows you can take something you love, have the motivation to become the best you can doing it and then turn it into a profession.
Quote of the Day
‘Even if you are on track you will get ran over if you just sit there.’ – Will Rogers
This is my favourite quote in the book, this quote can apply to all aspects of life, you may be doing well at something or getting things done, but you can always be pushing to do better and make a difference. At the moment, I can apply this most to job hunting, I may be doing all I can in this moment, and applying to numerous jobs and being offered interviews, but that does not mean I should be happy with all that I am doing. There is always something you can do more, skills you can further develop, practising and researching interview and business skills, these are all things that will further help my chances of getting a job.
The main reason I had for buying a new camera was to learn new skills, I want to further develop my videography skills outside of university and be able to deliver high quality professional video. This is something that many media companies are looking for in potential employees, so to expand the jobs I can apply for and the knowledge I can offer, I want to improve what I already have.
Worth the Buy?
Yes! I definitely think you should buy this book, like I said before it would be useful to those who are working, job-seeking, managing their own business or studying, as it can offer advice that applies to all of those things. It is only £6.99 on Amazon (I will add the link below). For anyone who strives for success, or wants some tips on balancing work loads and lifestyle then this book will be an enjoyable read. I think it can be even more impactful during this pandemic, when many people are working at home and have more stress piled on top of them than usual, there are chapters in this book on will-power and productivity which could probably help all of us at the moment. I know that I need to be inspired to be creative and go out and create new content for my portfolio, while there is very little freelance work, and this book has really helped motivate me to do this, and write a blog about it to help all of you too!
Believe in Yourself
‘The surest path to achieving lasting happiness happens when you make your life about something bigger, when you bring meaning and purpose into everyday actions.’ – Gary Keller
I always strive to be better, I want to be a better photographer, a better media creator and always the best person I can be. It’s important to do the things you love doing, achieving what you set out to achieve and helping those around you. Not many people read my blogs, but I hope more people my age do, those who are studying or just graduated, as I started writing blogs to offer support and show that many of us are in the same situation right now. And as for putting meaning into everyday actions, I want to get a job I will enjoy doing, I want to apply all the skills I have worked hard to gain, I want to make my family proud and my Grandad proud, and I know one day I will do that if I keep pushing forward and being the best I can be.
‘Planning is bringing the future into the present so you can do something about it now.’- Alan Lakein