精益求精的力量
By Jim Mathis
在競爭激烈的商業和專業領域裡，我們都希望自己成為那個發現新大陸和創新的人，能擁有前所未見的想法，讓我們快速成功。不過我有一個更好的建議：專注在自己的強項，精益求精。
曾有人這樣說過：「如果你是企業主，或是獨立的自由工作者，至少1/2的時間你會用在精進技術、學習新事物或改進你的產品上面」。我們也常在商店看到有標誌寫「全新改良過的」的產品，若是我們能對自己和手中的工作這樣說豈不是很棒？
23年來，我和太太都從事攝影相關行業，以及開發和印製黑白電影。那時我花了很多時間在閱讀、試驗、觀看教學、上課或參加研討會、工作坊和貿易展覽上。當然，現在這已經是一個過時的技術，人們不拍黑白電影了。但這個改變並沒有給我帶來任何問題，因為我很早就接受並使用數位影像。數位影像技術徹底改變了攝影界。20年前當我意識到自己不會再花時間來開發電影業務時，就接受了這個變化並投入數位影像的新世界，我試著學習所有和數位相機以及用電腦技術來處理影像的知識。
不僅是企業主自己需要花一半以上的時間學習，有一些企業主也會為他們的員工提供長期的訓練。但很多人不這樣做 ，或是只在當前工作有需要時才做有限的學習。所以，我也常常遇到因為職場變遷和新技術而被淘汰的人，他們甚至對自己的職業已經過時感到驚訝。
這讓我想起了聖經舊約中的一節經文，描述了古代以色列的一群領袖。「這些人是以薩迦支派，有二百族長都通達時務，知道以色列人所當行的；他們族弟兄都聽從他們的命令」（歷代志上12章32節）。經文沒有具體解釋這些領導者考慮了甚麼變化或因素，但顯然的他們都知道要因應時勢。
認識上帝的許多好處之一就是，雖然我們不知道將來如何，但神無所不知。所以，我們要努力「為主而做不是為人而做。」（歌羅西書3章23節），我們可以祈禱並尋求主的智慧來引導我們如何因應變化、改進自己的能力、精進磨練我們的技術和適應不斷變化的工作環境。
哥林多前書3章9節說：「因為我們是與 神同工的；你們是 神所耕種的田地，所建造的房屋。」因此，我們應該回應我們周圍的世界。這個世界變化越來越快速。我們要接受這樣的事實、提升自己的技能和使用更好的工具，而不是抵制變革。這些改變能讓我們的工作越做越好，也給我們增進技能的特殊機會。
你要如何在今年裡設定一個目標 ，花更多的時間精益求精？這不僅僅能擴展你的職業生涯，也能使你成為一個更加有趣、擁有更強技術的人。
Jim Mathis是美國堪薩斯州歐弗蘭帕克攝影工作室的老闆，專門從事商業和戲劇肖像攝影，並經營著一所攝影學校。 他以前是密蘇里州堪薩斯城咖啡店的經理和CBMC的執行董事。
反省與問題討論 你如何回應周圍不斷變化的工作環境？你會抗拒改變，或是你會試著找到有效因應這些變化的方法，在工作中精益求精？ 如本篇作者所建議的，你是否考慮過提升自己的技術或在自己的職業生涯中做出重大的調整，來因應你看到的或預期會發生的變化？如果有，你是怎麼做的？如果沒有，你認為不斷變遷的環境可能會對你有什麼影響？ 我們在哪些方面可以像聖經中的「以薩迦支派」一樣，能敏銳覺察自己所身處的時代趨勢以及知道我們應該如何回應？ 聖經教導我們上帝的許多屬性之一就是祂無所不知，你相信嗎？如果你相信，你如何能利用這個真理來幫自己成為一個更有效率、更能因應趨勢的工作者和未來的領導者？
備註：如果你手上有聖經，希望閱讀更多和這個主題相關的信息，請參考下面的經文：
箴言14章1、8節
14:1 智慧婦人建立家室；愚妄婦人親手拆毀。
14:8 通達人的智慧在乎明白己道；愚昧人的愚妄乃是詭詐（或譯：自欺）。
箴言16章21節
16:21 心中有智慧，必稱為通達人；嘴中的甜言，加增人的學問。
以賽亞書41章8-10節
41:8 惟你以色列─我的僕人，雅各─我所揀選的，我朋友亞伯拉罕的後裔，
41:9 你是我從地極所領（原文是抓）來的，從地角所召來的，且對你說：你是我的僕人；我揀選你，並不棄絕你。
41:10 你不要害怕，因為我與你同在；不要驚惶，因為我是你的 神。我必堅固你，我必幫助你；我必用我公義的右手扶持你。
耶利米書29章11-13節
29:11 耶和華說：我知道我向你們所懷的意念是賜平安的意念，不是降災禍的意念，要叫你們末後有指望。
29:12 你們要呼求我，禱告我，我就應允你們。
29:13 你們尋求我，若專心尋求我，就必尋見。
以弗所書5章15-17節
5:15 你們要謹慎行事，不要像愚昧人，當像智慧人。
5:16 要愛惜光陰，因為現今的世代邪惡。
5:17 不要作糊塗人，要明白主的旨意如何。
THE POWER OF IMPROVING YOUR CRAFT
By Jim Mathis
In our hyper-competitive business and professional world, we would all like to be the one to discover the latest and greatest innovation, the idea no one has thought of before, that would put us on the fast track to success. But here is a better suggestion: Simply work at becoming better at what you do best.
It has been said that if you are self-employed, or working on your own in some freelance capacity, you need to spend at least half of your time honing your craft, learning new things, or improving your product. We often see products in stores labeled “New and Improved.” Would it not be good to be able to say the same about ourselves and the work we do?
I have always spent a significant portion of my time reading, experimenting, watching tutorials, taking classes, or attending seminars, workshops, and trade shows. For 23 years my wife and I were in the photography business, developing and printing black-and-white film. Now, of course, that is an obsolete craft. They don't even make black-and-white film any more. But it did not present a problem for me because I was an early adopter of digital imaging, which revolutionized photography. When I realized 20 years ago that I was not going to spend the rest of my life developing film, I embraced the change and began responding to the new world of digital imaging. I tried to learn everything I could about digital cameras and the use of computer technology for enhancing photos.
However, this advice about spending half of your time learning should not be limited to self-employed people. Some employers offer ongoing training for their employees, but many do not – and when they do, it is often very limited and specific to the current job. For this reason, I often encounter people left behind by changes in the workplace or new technology. Some simply come to the shocking realization that their professions have become obsolete.
This brings to mind a verse in the Bible”s Old Testament, describing a group of leaders in ancient Israel. These were the “men of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what [they] should do” (1 Chronicles 12:32). The passage does not explain specifically what changes or factors these leaders needed to consider, but clearly it indicates they recognized the need to adapt to what was happening.
One of the many benefits of faith in God is knowing that although we may not know what lies in the future, in His omniscience, He does. So as we strive to do “work as for the Lord, rather than for men” (Colossians 3:23), we can pray and seek wisdom from the Lord for understanding how we too can adapt, how we can improve our craft – honing our skills and adapting to the changing work environment.
In 1 Corinthians 3:9 it says, “For we are God”s fellow workers; you are God”s field, God”s building.” As such, we should be eager to respond to the world around us that is changing at an ever-increasing pace. Rather than resisting change, we can embrace the fact that technology and better tools do not cost jobs; they allow us to do more and better work. They offer unique opportunities for improving our craft.
How about setting a goal – for the remainder of this year – to spend more time learning, not only to advance your career, but also to become a more interesting, more highly skilled person?
© 2019. Jim Mathis is the owner of a photography studio in Overland Park, Kansas, specializing in executive, commercial and theatrical portraits, and operates a school of photography. He formerly was a coffee shop manager and executive director of CBMC in Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri.
Reflection/Discussion Questions
How do you typically respond to the changing work environment around you? Do you resist change, or do you try to find ways for effectively addressing those changes and become better at what you do? Have you consciously considered ways, as Mr. Mathis suggests, for improving your craft or making significant adjustments in your career in response to changes you see occurring or anticipate coming? If so, how have you been doing that? If not, what impact do you expect the changing environment might have for you vocationally? In what ways can we seek to be like the biblical “men of Issachar,” being able to understand the times in which we live and know what we should do in response? The Bible teaches that one of God”s many attributes is His omniscience – being all-knowing. Do you believe this? If you do, how can you draw on that truth for help in becoming a more productive, better adapting worker and leader in the future?
NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to read more about this subject, consider the following passages: Proverbs 14:1,8, 16:21; Isaiah 41:8-10; Jeremiah 29:11-13; Ephesians 5:15-17
