Advance Advice

Our Blog Title, “Blaine’s World” is obviously a shameless take off of SNL’s “Wayne’s World” and the Tagline is another obvious rip off of Dos Equis famous ad campaign “Stay Thirsty my friends”. 

I love a good turn of phrase, but I am realistic about my skill set.  If they made a show about my advertising ability it would be “Sad Men”. 

That having been said, I am more convinced than ever that lifelong learning fueled by curiosity is a gateway to a richer life.  It can make you better, and if you are better, you can be a part of making everything around you better, IF, you apply what you have learned in a servant hearted fashion.

I love alliteration, and aspire to altruism.  The core of Advance Employments corporate motto comes from an unabashed (I hope) Christian faith commitment that led us to commit to Service, Forgiveness, Trust, Accountability and honoring the whole concept that honest work, faithfully done, leads to dignity and self respect.  We drew on the words and work and example of a pretty broad group of folks (Martin Luther King, Dietrich Bonhoffer, Ronald Reagan, Mike Rowe to name a few)  In one way or another, they all strike me as being people who model(ed) the curiosity of life-long learning.

Oxfords English dictionary defines curious as “eager to know or learn something” and eager as “wanting to do or have something very much”  You don’t just want to know, you VERY MUCH want to know.  When a drive to learn is coupled with a motivation to give, you have a recipe for great results. 

For my buck, good curiosity is not just about knowledge for knowledge sake.  Nobody likes a know-it-all (I have been Cliff Claven more times than I care to admit).  What good is it if doesn’t do any good is a good yardstick.  Not that everything has to be practical, I love cotton candy too, but you can’t live on cotton candy.

Curious people ask why?  Curious people ask why not? Curious people ask how and what and where….?   Curious people ask questions and don’t expect to be spoon fed an answer.  They are EAGER, they want VERY MUCH to get the answer, and are willing to put in a little elbow grease to get an answer.  Notice I said “an answer” – not “the answer”.  Outside of the things that are always true and right (service, honesty, mutual beneficence in business etc.) I have learned that if you think there is only one way to do it, you’ve already lost the game.

So, you say, Blaine that is a fine aspiration but what’s the point? 

I’m glad you asked. 

The point is not to simply question (Think of your toddler in the back seat asking for the 97^th time, why daddy?).  The point is to remind yourself to approach topics and tasks with an open mind and honest questions, having already decided that you will use what you learn to help yourself – and then help others.  Make the process better, faster, easier for everybody, as much as possible.

Once again, this skill is universal, it can be cultivated over time, anyone can do it and everyone can benefit from it.  It applies to school, work, family, relationships, (ad nauseum ad infinitum 😊).

Stay Curious My Friends

Blaine Schultz