You don't get into a boxing ring swinging wildly and expect to win a boxing match. Like many of the Hollywood boxing movies I've watched, anything worth fighting for requires extreme hard work, strategic planning, surrounding yourself with likeminded people, and most of all, perseverance from within. 

People daydream, hope, plan, get motivated to do something, realize they aren't as good as they thought they'd be, then quit. This process is usually repeated until they've become so broken down that they start making excuses for themselves. This applies to starting your own company, trying to do well in school, attempting to learn a new skill, and even people who hit the gym regularly and see no results after a month.

My advice is simple: keep going. Start that something that you've been meaning to do or just started and keep at it until you're mentally exhausted and physically unable to move. If your mind is set on something, you owe it to yourself to see it through. 

I was just thinking that I made my first website when I was in the 6th grade. It was terrible. I'd link to it if Geocities hadn't closed, but fast forward years later and now people actually pay me to make websites and its been a skill that has served me well through my career thus far. I was discouraged with my first website (which ironically was a Facebook for my friends at the time) but wanted to prove to myself that I could create gold and not crap.

People claim they want to be successful but don't realize that failure is a part of the process. People either quit or keep going in the face of adversity or lack of results. We all want to be on the successful side. Take a risk and see what you can achieve.

It's always a funny thing to me when I tell people that I blog and receive a "oh.." type of reaction as if somehow blogging makes me some sort of Internet loser or worse -socially inept. The truth is, starting your own blog can only help you. Blogging is a form of expressing yourself - whether through short or long essays, poems, reviews, or just by sharing photos of your everyday life (which by the way, Posterous is great at). What I've found blogging can be is a tool to showcase yourself and build your online social media identity. Anyone can set up a MySpace page or Facebook page, but what differentiates you from your 500 or so friends with similar profiles?

Everyone Has a Voice.. Is Yours Worth Being Heard?

The answer is simply, yes. Whether you're a genius or a couch potato, someone out there is bound to want to hear what goes on in your head. Blogs get a bad rap because sometimes they can stray into the realms of personal diary (think Mark Zuckerberg's LiveJournal in Social Network) or even in what I like to call the TMI (too much information) realm. But, blogs are continually threatening industries such as television, newspapers, magazines, and even education. Nathaniel blogged for his summer internship and learned more about a growing industry than he ever could without conjuring blog topics. JJ uses his blog to share his passion for photography and his experiences being a growing photographer in San Francisco. Paul shares his food adventures in San Francisco by mobile blogging his experiences and reviews.

You Become A Better Writer, Reader, and Learner

A common status update I see on Facebook and Twitter from my peers is how much they dread their upcoming essays or term papers. Aside from the research part, writing should be second nature and fun. Early in college I convinced myself that I would make writing an enjoyable experience and dare I say it, fun. When you blog, you become more aware of the flow in writing and conveying a certain idea to your audience. When you read other blogs you start to take mental notes on structure, vocabulary, personality, and creativeness. Writing isn't easy, but with everything else in life, you get better at it with practice. Once you start to warm up to learning more about a certain subject to write about it, you'll start knocking out papers easily.

Some Employers and Clients Want To Read Your Blog

Owning a blog is probably the easiest way for someone to learn more about you. They can see how well your writing is, where your interests lie, and how professional (or unprofessional) you come across as. I've had several employers ask whether or not I blogged and some even stumble across it by chance. My blog helped me get a free iPhone 4. Nathaniel can now use his blog posts from his previous internship as leverage with another potential employer. Anyone can have a resume filled with static information, but a good blog can make you a golden nugget in a pile of rocks. Paul gained an internship in the food cart business because his blog proved that he was the perfect candidate for the job. Clients gain an insight on JJ's creative process and his personality -- something that puts him at an advantage over other photographers for clients in the market.

Writing Is A Creative Outlet

Creativity can be practiced, so why cut yourself short on your potential? I am always aware of my writing technique and how I can make it better. Don't hold back on your ability to share a message with others. Blogging may lead to better writing, better public speaking, and overall better confidence in sharing your thoughts with others. You may find new interests or build on your current ones. 

So what are you waiting for? Start blogging now and show the world what you're made of!

One Week To Change An Entire Game

It's just week 6 into the NFL 2011 regular season and a very controversial new rule has been instated that says any defender who delivers a violent blow to a defenseless offensive player's helmet or neck with anything is subject to fine and/or suspension without pay. I find it interesting that such a rule is just being instated after several tough blows just from one weekend of football alone. I know from watching football and playing football in high school that safety is something you have to sacrifice in order to win the game, but at what expense does it do to the nature of the game when you limit the aggressiveness that these players can exert?

For instance, players (along with myself) would elect to skip on wearing protective cups because they were uncomfortable and slowed you down while running. Players in the NFL seldom wear kneepads or even strap on their helmets correctly. I see this most prevalent in quarterbacks, the most defenseless players on the field, having flailing helmet straps all the time. Here's a video that attempts to explain the difference between a 'bad' hit from a 'good' one.

Who Gets Hit The Hardest?

The NFL is making it tough on both players and coaches. Players on the defensive side of the ball only have so much time to react to an offensive player. Playing timidly does not fare well for defenses who rely on physical punishment such as the Steelers. Coaches are also accountable for teaching proper techniques in tackling -- a technique that has been taught to these players since they were probably playing pee wee football. Can you re-teach a Pro something that they've been doing all their lives?

So what can the NFL do in order to protect the players and also protect the integrity and physicality of the game that all NFL fans love? Does the NFL not profit off of these big plays? These hits that they are trying to abolish are the very same hits that we look forward to on ESPN SportsCenter's Top 10 Countdown. I'll applaud a tecnically sound open field tackle but I'd jump off my seat to see Patrick Willis blow someone up. 

Will Players Change?

In all the quotes I've read from players' reactions to the new rule, the consensus is clear: they're aware of the risks, they accept that safety is of concern, but they will continue to play the game they way they've been playing their entire lives. Players don't feel any safer because these hits are just a part of the game. Legends of the game are now crippled and in wheelchairs due to the abuse they took playing a sport like American Football. Thousands of minor concussions are occurring on the field that don't make it into the headlines.

Helmets' intentions are to protect players from damage to the head, but now, it's just assimilated itself as one of the many weapons a defender has at his disposal to try and knock the hell out of another player. The very first thing coaches teach defenders to do is to "hit with your hat." If things are going to change, it's going to have to start from both the junior level and the pro level simultaneously so the nature of the game is understood and without question that this is how you're supposed to play the game.

Create. Destroy. Repeat.

These past few days I was able to help TechCrunch (more specifically, TechCrunchTV) with their Disrupt event that was held in San Francisco. Being an avid TechCrunch reader and general enthusiast of tech startups the experience as a whole was a very educational one. Disrupt was my first tech conference and I believe it's one of the tech conferences that I can look forward to happening and hopefully attending.

TechCrunch Disrupt is a tech conference where some of the most influential people in the tech world either take part in a panel, interview, or judging group and discuss and critique the next trends in disruptive technology in the world. It felt like I was working the tech VMAs or something being backstage with all of these tech 'rockstars.'

What is disruptive technology you ask? It's the type of technology that changes the way you live essentially or changes a certain aspect of technology that progresses it forward into the future. An example of disruptive technology is when cell phones eventually replaced home phones. Startups in the Startup Battlefield pitch their products in front of a panel of experts and the winner wins the Disrupt Cup and $50,000 to take home and spend on their ventures.

Amazing Opportunity

Although there was an army of volunteers at Disrupt, I had the privilege of being one of the select few who got to work backstage. I consider myself lucky knowing how to operate video equipment to a certain degree because I got to be in the presence of the likes of investors such as Chris Sacca, CEO's of Digg and Groupon, and the man behind TechCrunch, Michael Arrington (who I overheard was like the Darth Vader of the whole operation.)

These conferences aren't easy to attend at all. Tickets run at least $2,000 dollars up to the $3,000 dollar range for a 3 day pass. Unless you have a press pass or your company is paying you to be there, chances are you won't be able to attend. So, volunteering is your next best bet. Although you need to work most of the time, I had plenty of time to speak to all of the startups in the Startup Alley and Battlefield areas. I had great conversations with different companies from the CEOs, recruiters, and even designers. 

Working Backstage

I had the chance to work with the talented TechCrunch TV team and also with the various TechCrunch writers. All of them were extremely friendly and personable. It was exciting to see how an operation of their magnitude was conducted, and I thought Jon Orlin, Evelyn Rusli, and the rest of the crew made it a great experience. Working backstage wasn't an easy task but as you can see here, I made sure my free labor had some reward in the end:

Why You Should Attend Conferences

Though this was my first conference, it definitely isn't my last. My current boss of my SEO internship has always stressed the fact that conferences is the best way to network. I couldn't agree more as I've expanded my network with a lot of new professionals and other young like-minded individuals who I can hopefully work with in the near future. If you're looking for a job or internship, chances are that this may be your best bet in introducing yourself personally and showing your interest in a personal manner.

That's it for now! Congrats to the Disrupt Cup winner Qwiki (my personal favorites going in) and thank you to everyone who made it possible for me to help and all the TechCrunch staff who made it extremely fun!

Tragedy In Our Own Backyard

Unless you've been living under a rock these past 24 hours, you would have probably heard of the San Bruno PG&E gas leak explosion which is currently featured on the front page of CNN.

As I write this, there are 4 people confirmed dead. This is a huge tragedy that hit myself and my family and friends too close to home. So, why did this small business, Onyx Cafe, decide to Tweet about the fire in hopes for financial gain?

http://twitter.com/onyxcafe/status/24067778489

Business Ethics & Social Media

Onyx Cafe is a small cafe located in Daly City that decided to Tweet that to its followers. How insensitive is this? What if someone who had a loved one who was injured or killed in the fire saw this Tweet? [sarcasm]I'm sure everyone in San Bruno would like a cool drink after living through an inferno that can only be described as hell on Earth. [/sarcasm]

And I'm not the only one who sees this as just an ignorant way to market your business.

What Onyx Cafe Should Do

So, in short, please be wary of this establishment until they actually 1.) DELETE their dumbass tweet 2.) apologize and 3.) donate to the Red Cross or other relief group. Instead of trying to capitalize off of the heat from the fire, why don't you guys help putting it out?

Let's give whoever tweeted that message the benefit of the doubt that they didn't mean to be outrageously insensitive. But, using social media can either be a way to earn your customer's trust or lose it, and Onyx Cafe, you definitely dropped the (tapioca) ball.

UPDATE

: It seems as though they've deleted the tweet. No apology yet. 

UPDATE #2

: Yelp ratings are plummeting for Onyx Cafe on Yelp. If you are the manager of this establishment, please rescind your statements and formally apologize to your customers. This has obviously struck a chord with many people, and the least you can do is donate back to the situation.  

UPDATE #3: Looks like Onyx Cafe has come out to say their apologies:

Kudos to them.. Social media can certainly place you in the forefront of your customer's attention -- whether it may be good or bad!

DISCLAIMER: It isn't my intention to bash or defile this establishment. I haven't even stepped foot in there - but I know friends who say good things about it. I can't harm this establishment's image more than the rest of the people voicing their complaints and opinions. I am more interested in how Onyx Cafe's own use of social media seemed to turn customers against them -- especially when it's about a tragedy that's just a freeway away from where I live. Once the manager apologizes publicly, I'll update this post with the apology.

I do it, and I know you do it, too - you read the myriad of news and status updates on Facebook and Twitter. Sometimes you read a few, sometimes you read each one that seems to pop up. I tend to read most updates on my Blackberry when I'm on the shuttle, on the toilet, on Bart, etc.

I've noticed a trend in these updates, especially between Facebook and Twitter. I have graphed the following from a random sample of some of the updates I get from Facebook:

On Facebook I have around 700 friends and I do realize that not all of those 700 friends' updates show up on my Home page. On Twitter, I follow around 55 accounts. I have greatly 'trimmed the fat' on people I follow on Twitter. I'm just currently interested in those 55 accounts, so no offense to those who I don't follow back. I like to keep my feed clean, and although the new feature of 'Lists' was created to help people like me cope with it, I still find it unneccessary. The 30 of those accounts are of friends I'd want to follow and around 25 are news aggregators, blogs, and companies that I find of interest.

In the first chart, you can see how Facebook statuses tend to lean toward self-absorbed, personal updates. It would be backwards to hide certain friends' updates from my entire feed for some statuses that I felt unneccessary to read only to realize that I'd be missing out on their important updates in the future. I have a Facebook to keep up with people. Facebook is far more personal than Twitter - it literally is your face in a book-like fashion, where people can look at pictures of you and look through your tabs and pages of friends, information, etc.

Twitter on the other hand is very public. Even if you have a protected account, you never know who may be seeing your tweets. Tweets seem to be more informative and wit-oriented. Everyone seems to be a comedian or philosopher on Twitter - and I like that. Facebook on the other hand, seems to motivate people to parade themselves, causing them to put up updates of self-achievement and self-absorption for all to see. These are the kinds of updates that I see almost every day - and mostly by the same amount of people.

Let me reiterate to say that these findings are from my own collection of friends. For you, it may seem to be different. Some people might be thinking,"Why don't you just delete your Facebook or Twitter, then?" Well, that would defeat the purpose of staying in touch with people and the world, and I do want to stay in touch with every single one of you, but I can do without the mundane, useless updates. My conclusion is this: Would you tweet or update something you wouldn't want your boss to see? Your mom? Your girlfriend? Yourself a couple years from now?

Let's tone it down a bit, everyone is on some sort of cash grind and everyone suffers with school. Everyone is at the gym and everyone knows you're the coolest one at the party. Let's become bigger and actually do more than what we have to say - or at the very least, update.