In This Issue: Cisco Catalyst 2960X FlexStack-Plus Module | 7 Ways to Build Greatness | News to Start Your Day
Happy Thursday CK Family! We hope you’ve had a great week! Today we’re celebrating World Photo Day! Check out our Hot Topic of the day to see how you can win a $100 CK Gift Card!
The CK Daily – Finding Fulfillment in Our Busy Lives
Things in our lives can be a drain on us or they can add that extra excitement and a “spring in or step.” Whether it’s traveling, cooking, watching our favorite shows, working out, or spending time with friends & family, there is always something that adds to us more than takes away from us. The same thing can be said about our work lives. We all have parts of our jobs that we just absolutely love to do. (I know sometimes it can be hard to find those things at work.) It can even be more challenging to work those into our already busy schedules, whether they are personal or professional.
Personally, I love hanging out spending time with family and friends. It’s one of those things that energizes me and helps me through the week. I have one buddy that moved up to Ohio a while back, so one of the things that we do is he, his wife (and sometimes the kids), and I hop on a Facetime call at least once a week for a few hours to catch up, chat, and hang out. This is important to all of us to stay connected and still “do life” together even though we all live 3 states away from each other.
Professionally, one part of my job that I am absolutely passionate about is SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and building relevant content for our visitors and customers – like in our CK Learning Center. While this might not sound exciting to you, or you might even be saying “That doesn’t sound exciting.” I get it. It wouldn’t sound exciting to everyone, but for me, I get super excited about it, and it totally gets my wheels turning. I know for me to find fulfillment in one of my passions at work I must carve out time to focus on it. This can be difficult for some weeks, but it is important for me personally. One of the ways I have started doing this is by blocking out time on my calendar. I have started blocking out 2 chunks of my week, one at the beginning of the week and one at the end of the week, to focus on analyzing, researching, and structuring SEO & content for our site. This helps me make sure I have the time to devote to what I love doing and that energizes me.
I have learned over the years, especially the past two years, that as with anything important we have to make time for it. It is important for us, personally, to have time to do or spend time on what we love, we need, we are passionate about, or that energizes us. It is a form of self-care. No one else is going to do it for you. We have to do it for ourselves.
What types of things do you love to do, that you are passionate about, or that energizes you, personally or professionally? How do you make sure that you are doing those things daily or weekly for yourself?
Have a great Thursday, everyone!
Jason
Hot Topic of the Day
Happy World Photo Day! Today we are celebrating the joy of all that goes into capturing a photo. To celebrate we’d like to invite you to share an image of your Server/Data Center set-up with us via email or through social media! Bonus point for if your CK sticker is in the shot! If you post your photo on social media, be sure to add the hashtag #CKWPD and tag us so we can see it!
Just for participating you’ll be entered into a giveaway for a $100 CK Gift Card! Pretty sweet, right?
Just in case you’d don’t have our social media info, find them linked here – Facebook, Instagram, and/or LinkedIn! We can’t wait to see the photos of your setup!
Product Spotlights & Updates
Happy Thursday CK Family! Today we’re highlighting the Cisco Catalyst 2960X FlexStack-Plus Module, C2821-VSEC/K9.
The C2960X-STACK FlexStack-Plus modules improve over the FlexStack modules by increasing the number of stacking members and bandwidth, which results in maximized scalability and simplified management for you. These plug-and-play modules allow you to connect up to 8 stacked 2960-X or 2960-XR switches! FlexStack Plus modules also support bandwidth of up to 80 Gbps over distances up to 3m (10ft).
Grab one of these this week for 25% off!
7 Ways to Build Greatness
Find today’s full post from Jon Gordon here.
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1) Design Your Masterpiece – In order to build something, you must first design it. You must know what you want to build. You must have a vision of the masterpiece you are creating. If you can see it, you can create it. If you have a vision you also have the power to make it happen. The key is to be intentional and decide what you truly want to build and create.
2) Work Your Craft – You don’t master your craft or build a masterpiece overnight. It takes a lot of years, hard work, sweat, and tears. It’s why Michelangelo said, “If people knew how hard I worked to get my mastery it wouldn’t seem so wonderful at all.” It’s a process that requires you to continuously work at your craft in order to improve and grow. A great example of this is Pablo Casals, the famous cellist, who was asked at the age of 90 why he continued to practice. He said, “Because I think I’m making progress.” If you want to master your craft, you have to show up each day and do the work that greatness requires.
3) Build With Optimism – When a craftswoman is building something, she is so focused on creating her vision and masterpiece that she is filled with optimism and belief about what she is building. While there are challenges during the building process the craftswoman uses those challenges as opportunities to innovate and adapt. You must believe in what you are building and find a way to get it done. What you believe determines what you create. So, make sure you maintain your belief and optimism as you build greatness.
4) Love It – The famous opera singer Luciano Pavarotti was asked about his exceptional discipline to continuously work on his craft. He said, “People think it’s discipline but it’s not discipline. It’s devotion.” As a craftsman, it’s your love and devotion that will drive your discipline. Your love for what you do will drive you to build greatness. If you don’t love it you’ll never work to be great at it. This means if you want to become a master of your craft then make sure you choose a craft you love. If you love it you’ll be more likely to invest the time to work your craft and be devoted to it.
5) Care More – The difference between just showing up to build something and intentionally creating a masterpiece is reflected in the heart, soul, passion, and care that you put into what you are building. If you care more you will do more, give more and create more. To build something great you must care more about what you are building than all of the distractions vying for your attention. Distractions are the enemy of greatness and if you care about your craft you won’t let these distractions get in the way of your growth.
6) Create Inside-Out – A craftsman creates from the inside out. From their spirit, heart, soul, and essence inside them, they create the masterpieces we see in the world. It’s the same way with your life or anything you create. What you see in your outer world is a reflection of your inner world. There’s a word called Meraki. It means to do something with love, creativity, and soul; to leave a piece of yourself in your work; to leave something behind. Being a craftsman/craftswoman is all about Meraki. Put your love and soul into it. Leave a piece of yourself in whatever it is you are building. Leave something behind. Create a masterpiece that reflects the essence of your love, energy, effort, and craft.
7) Take on New Challenges – A craftsman always wants to make their next work their best work and they’re willing to take on new challenges in order to grow. I read a piece by Charles Killian where he shares the story of Donatello rejecting a three-ton block of marble stone because it had too many flaws and cracks in it. The haulers decided to bring it to Michelangelo to see if he wanted the stone. Michelangelo inspected the stone and discovered the flaws and cracks in it as well. But he decided to do something with it. He thought it would be a challenge to his craftsmanship. From that flawed block of marble, he would go on to create the statue of David, the greatest art treasure in the world.
Today’s News to Start Your Day:
- Chipotle Mexican Grill announced Thursday that the burrito chain is testing meat-free chorizo. It would be the company’s first meat-free protein option since it launched sofritas in 2014.
- Amazon is planning to open large retail locations that resemble department stores.
- Toys R Us shop-in-shops will roll out to more than 400 Macy’s stores in 2022. A larger assortment of Toys R Us merchandise is now available on Macy’s website, ahead of the holiday season. Toys R Us’ website will also now be powered by Macy’s.
- Facebook announced a new sustainability goal to restore more water than it consumes by the year 2030. The company intends to focus its efforts on projects in regions where it uses local water resources.
- Facebook launched a test of a new virtual-reality remote work app where users of the company’s Oculus Quest 2 headsets can hold meetings as avatar versions of themselves. Check out this image to see what it might look like!