The Armchair Economist’s Apprenticeship is a weekly series documenting my progress throughout my journey in the apprenticeship module of the Praxis program. I’m currently an operations associate for a non-profit. At the request of my boss, I’ll be keeping the details of my employer under wraps for the time being.
Week 3: May 18, 2020 – May 22, 2020
What I’m Learning:
One cool thing I learned at work this week:
I learned a new concept called nerve centers, which is a hub or epicenter for a particular subject. McKinsey & Company is a prime example of a nerve center and their purpose is to improve society through changing actions and ideas.
Check them out here.
Basically, nerve centers can be think tanks or even Wall Street; an authority on a specific topic, a fountainhead.
One cool thing I learned outside of work this week:
There is evidence of an iron mine in the Giza Plateau of Egypt, right outside of the Khafre Pyramid. This means that the Ancient Egyptians had iron at least 2,500 years before, contradicting what mainstream academia has claimed.
Why is this so important?
According to independent researcher and Egyptologist, Ancient Architects, iron ore was found next to a structure that appears to look like an ancient mine which “…implies they could make iron or even steel tools and this could well explain how the ancient high technology, and how the Ancient Egyptians cut such hard stones like granite and basalt.”
What I’m Creating:
One example of how I created value at work this week:
I created a presentation and pitched my ideas to my coworker who is planning to start an organization from the ground up. Unfortunately, I don’t have permission to release the Canva.com slides since this project is being kept under wraps for the time being, so this also means I can’t release too much info about its purpose.
My coworker needed my help in identifying our future target audience, which is the number one rule in marketing. I suggested targeting Millennials and Gen Z since this generation needs updated guidance about life and career paths.
After I presented my ideas, my coworker thanked me several times for putting it together and spending time on research. This presentation demonstrated proof to my coworker that we’re on the same page but more importantly have the same mission and think alike.
What I’m doing to become a better version of myself overall:
I’m continuing to organize my thoughts by writing everything down in a paper notepad. This method has truly helped my anxiety about forgetting important things and I highly suggest it to anyone who struggles with remembering tasks.
Weekly Monday Workshop:
What Praxis Monday session did you attend this week (ie. what was the topic & who was the guest)?
The Creative Process with Jérémy Chevallier, Director of Marketing for Crash.
What was your favorite highlight from the session?
I loved the way Jeremy presented his ideas. It embodied an element of the start up culture, meditation and holistic alternatives.
What was your biggest takeaway from that session?
If you need ideas then get bored.
Ideas come from the subconscious and is built off of previous ideas and it takes time to form. Let ideas simmer and slow-cook.
Inspiration also comes from talking to people.
When you are assigned a project, build something simple.
Then set a timeframe to ship your project, which allows for feedback. Don’t be afraid to ship things if it isn’t perfect, you have to let go of the emotional connection to your project like thinking you’re not good enough.
How do you intend to apply that takeaway to your life?
I already do it all the time.