Michael, I read a post the other day on your blog about your blog stats plateauing, well know this, you have many loyal subscribers and readers that cherish what you do, and I'm one of them.

Keep up the great work!

"The reward you get from a story is always less than you thought it would be, and the work is harder than you imagined. The point of a story is never about the ending, remember. It's about your character getting molded in the hard work of the middle. At some point the shore behind you stops getting smaller, and you paddle and wonder why the same strokes that used to move you now only rock the boat."

Truly the real rewards are taken when the journey seems almost hopeless…

Like mile 21 on a marathon when the runner feels they can't go on
Like lifting the barbell on rep number eleven, hoping that you can make the twelfth one
Like putting aside that chocolate cake and having a banana instead
Like writing… when you don't feel like it

Maybe the best way to build a reputation is through persistence…

Currently, I'm working hard in a new role, studying for MBA and purposefully building a network.

How would you adapt your advice to apply to new graduates? It's difficult to have the experienced required of many jobs and new grads face the additional challenge of an uncertain economy.

Great post as ever Michael.

As I read your post it reminded me of when I was younger and building some air castles of my own. They were fantastic castles and I was working on the execution when the funding ran out. The group I was working with was always trying to find funding and never could.

Years later I have people come up to me all the time (still) asking why we never finished it. When I explain that we could no longer responsibly fund it on our own and could not get the funding they always say they would have funded if they would have known. "It was wonderful!" The problem is they did know. We had communicated the need repeatedly.

The issue was trust. They trust me now. They didnt trust me then. I dont blame them. They are trusting the version of me now that has accomplished things and they would like to go back and get in on that project I abandoned. But we all move on.

I’m not saying that you lifted it; rather, I’d like to think it’s simply a case of great minds thinking alike.

I asked my boss, once, why they sank money into legal fees before they had real reason to think they could succeed, before they knew they had a market and working capital. He told me a lot of people just liked the excitement of coming up with an idea, choosing a name and setting up the corporation.

They never completed their plans; consequently, they had nothing to execute. No need to rinse and repeat.

Jeremiah Miller
forgingleaders.blogspot.com

We're attracted to being the "idea guy," not because it means we're creative, but because it implies we don't have to execute. The truly successful can either do both well or execute well and dream marginally.

bd
@bdunc1

So simple yet so profound!

The author of the book said, "I was alway concerned with what I was doing." Wow. That was it. For some reason it's easier … safer … to craft the outside before crafting the inside. As an author, that's a dangerous path to walk because there's no foundation to sustain momentum or vision. I've been on a journey for a few years to discover how God really made me and to settle into that. It's been hard to give up some dreams that weren't based on my giftings and calling, but on what I saw others doing. (there's that word again)

So what am I doing to build my reputation? Digging deeper into how God made me, and embracing that with all my heart.

As a side note, I am curious: whatever happened to the entrepreneurs and their big plans?

Execution requires work, pain, awkward exchanges and accountability. The good news is that since few people are comfortable with this part of the equation, it's easier to stand out here by simply rolling up your sleeves and getting to work.

Great post. Simple. Profound.

I have often felt the same way regarding "consultants" that show up at different times to let everyone know how wrong they are doing things and (though much less frequently) how to do things the right way. Unfortunately, many of these "consultants" have never really had to "execute" the plans they propose. As you so eloquently put it, reputation is not built on what one is going to do…or could do…or should do.

I am not from Missouri, but sometimes, I need you to show me and not just tell me.

Great post. Good advice!

Thank you

Being consistent and executing well on everything assigned to me is another way I build my reputation. I see people who are one-hit wonders and try to maintain their reputation on what they did for the company 15 years ago. Or I see 'super-hero' syndrome where when it's a highly visible project they throw on the superman outfit and really deliver. But when it comes to mundane but necessary work only visible to peers they are horrible to work with & don't deliver.

I also think when you are starting at a new company, you have to build your reputation in that company. You bring with you experience and knowledge, but not your reputation.

With the help of your posts and comments, I began writing my book on my blog and began building online relationships. Now, I am four posts away from finishing my book and am brainstorming my proposal. While finding an agent and a publisher is still along shot in today's world, I am in a much better position than I was a year ago. Here's hoping that my steps, taken one at a time, will make my "air castle" a reality.