by Dan Gathof
You know what your problem is…You tell me
The holiday season always reminds me of how cool it was to be a kid. I’ve written before about my childhood, which was full of freedom and only two parental expectations: avoid trouble and serial killers. I batted about .500 on those.
Sunny days meant hide-n-seek, tag, or touch football with the neighborhood kids. Rainy days? We grabbed sticks and raced them down makeshift rivers in the gutter. When it snowed, we built forts and made snow angels. We made the most of whatever we had, which, looking back, wasn’t much. The truth is, my family didn’t have much money, but as kids, we didn’t dwell on it.
But don’t feel bad for me—I had a sharp eye for finding the perfect sticks and dominated the stick-racing circuit. What hit harder was seeing my mom struggle during the holidays. She wanted to create a magical Christmas for her five kids, but there wasn’t much to go around. Early on, I learned to only ask for what I needed—not the flashy toys on TV or the items my classmates added to their Santa lists.
Due to our financial situation, my entire family got really creative during the holidays. We crafted homemade gifts for each other: new board games, painted ornaments, stitched blankets, decoupaged vases, and my siblings scouted for perfectly narrow, buoyant sticks for my gutter races. None of us needed those things but we wanted to give joy to others. Christmas became a mash-up of things we needed and creative things we wanted to give to each other. As unbelievable as it may seem, those holidays were filled with excitement, joy, and laughter.
Since I started writing this blog, I’ve tried to give “gifts” to help readers navigate their careers. These are concepts, ideas and actions that I believe people want in order to accelerate their careers. But during this holiday season, I’m wondering: Is this what you really want—or, more importantly, what you really need?
So, this holiday season, I’m asking for your input. What challenges are you facing in your career? What topics would help you most as you think about growth, change, or new opportunities? Let me know—I’m well-equipped to adjust my gift-giving.
Hire Thought
This season, let’s focus on giving what matters most. What do you need from me to make your career goals a reality? Drop your ideas in the comments section. Happy Holidays!
