TED Talk How to Find Short-Term AND Long-Term Success

TED Talk How to Find Short-Term AND Long-Term SuccessTED Talk How to Find Short-Term AND Long-Term SuccessIf you ask anyone if theyd like to be successful now, or later in their life, the answer is pretty obvious to guess people generally want short-term AND long-term success. But is it possible to be successful in the short and long term, when both take fairly different qualities to achieve, and at what price are we willing to achieve them? David Brooks, a New York Timesop-ed columnist known for writing about culture, social sciences, andpolitics, tackles these questions- and a whole lot more- in a recent TED Talk.Its important to note two things about this talk first,while some religious references are made, we are looking this as an inclusive general spirituality. And second, while Adam, a male, is used as the example, we strongly believe this is equally intended for both men and womenIn the video, David Brooks Should You Live for Your ResumeOr Your Eulogy? Brooks theorizes that t here are two sides to every parties nature- and they are at war with each other.Adam 1 is the worldly, ambitious side of our nature. It favors success and thinks in a more linear fashion i.e., input leads to output, risk leads to reward, and so on.However, Adam 2 is more humble believes in honoringGod and favors love, redemption, and being good.How do Adam 1 and Adam 2 affect our success?Brooks believes that we live in a society that favors Adam 1, and often forgets about Adam 2. The problem with that, says Brooks, is that it turns you into a shrewd animal that treats life like a game. You become a cold calculating creature that slips into mediocrity.Now, how does all of this relate to resumes and eulogies? Well, Brooks believes that its up to each individual person to determine which side of their personality they are going to feed- Adam 1 or Adam 2. Thing is, if you focus on Adam 1 (i.e., trying to attain success and not nourishing what matters most), you might wind up getting suc cess but at a very real cost to your relationship with others and- more importantly- yourself.Brooks says that in buchen to build a solid depth of character, you have to go back to the past, to a moment of shame, to a signature sin that youve committed over and over again in your life. You need to fight that sin, and once youve wrestled with it and experienced the suffering that comes as a result, then a depth of character can be constructed.Heres Brooks TED talk for more insightWhat does all of this mean as it applies to your career and long-term success?Does this mean that you have to be an Adam 1 in order to find a job you really want or have the ideal career?Absolutely not. In life, not everything is black or white. No matter how hard you try to foster your Adam 2 side, your Adam 1 side will always be there- and rightly so. Adam 1 is what pushes you forward in your job search, what motivates you to have a career that you love, and what keeps you competitive.None of these things are bad. Its only when you become cutthroat (perhaps sabotaging another job candidates chance at getting an interview with a company that you want to work for, for example) that youre letting your Adam 1 get the best of you.Whats most important to take away from this TED Talk is the knowledge that we all have two sides to our personality, and both are important.Its knowing how to balance them- to be a good person as you job searchor as you climb the corporate ladder- that will help you keep Adam 1 and Adam 2 in sync. Its also knowing that even though you might find a job that pays a lot more (Adam 1), you decide not to take it because it doesnt feed your soul or make you happy (Adam 2). Its connecting a friend who is looking for a job to a potential lead (Adam 2), as opposed to keeping the contact for yourself (Adam 1).In the end, its remembering to be menschlich during your job searching process. Its knowing that the right job is out there for you and is meant for you without needi ng to put someone else down or step on them in the process. That way, at your eulogy, what will be said about you was what an amazing human being you were, as opposed to someone reading off a bunch of accolades and accomplishments on your resume to an empty room.In that way, being self-aware during your job search will give you the success that really counts.Looking for a flexible job? You can get started by searching flexible, telecommuting, and part-time jobs in 55 categories.Readers, what do you think of this TED Talk? Will you apply its message to manage your long-term success? Let us know in the comments below