Behold...the Einstein of BBQ pits!

If anyone can break down a process with a logical and repeatable approach, my brother in law, Bruce, can. This year he's taken barbecue to a level I've never seen. He purchased a Traeger smoker, which is a wood pellet pit....never heard of such a thing?? Either had I. It has a container on the side of the pit that holds the pellets with an auger at the bottom. The auger is controlled by a digital thermostat. For example, set the thermostat to "Smoke" and the auger will put the perfect amount of pellets into the fire pot to smolder and smoke but not flame up. The fire is initially lit with an electric heating element. Turn the thermostat to a higher temp., say 275, and the auger will continuously put just enough pellets in the pot, combined with an air induction fan (also electric) to maintain that temp.

This was Bruce's first attempt at making brisket and I can honestly say that it is one of the best homemade briskets that I have ever had....I know that's a strong statement but I stand by it. The irony is that I had to leave Texas (best BBQ in the country) and go to Oregon to get it! Surely my buddies back home will have a few things to say about this. The reality is that this smoker is a no brainer....in other words, if you don't know how to operate an old school wood smoker and don't care to learn, the Traeger is the smoker for you. It's low maintenance and you can't really screw it up. The only variables are the quality of meat and your recipe. If you enjoy the process of adjusting vents and continuously adding the right amount of wood to the box for 6 to 12 hours, the Traeger is not the smoker for you. It does take some of the art out of the smoking process.

So, two thumbs up on the brisket and turkey that Bruce and the Traeger produced. One thumb up for the process....while I appreciate the "set it and forget it" capability, there is something about the old school, hands on process that makes the experience great. Two thumbs up for the business idea. Not only has this company built a great smoker, they also produce and sell the wood pellets necessary for smoking! Brilliant. Oh..and if you don't think TX has the best BBQ, come on down. I can suggest a bunch of old small town restaurants and meat markets that will make you a believer!

Getting Uncomfortable

I work for a social marketing company in Austin, TX. I’ve been here for a little over a year and have learned a ton. Prior to joining the company, I spent 10 years in sales and business development for a few IT software companies. While I enjoyed my time there and learned a lot, I began to get comfortable. That is not to say that I knew everything about IT technology or how to handle every situation flawlessly, but after selling similar products to a very similar set of prospects again and again, your growth begins to slow. The advantage is that you gain a lot of experience and in turn can navigate the process much more efficiently. The disadvantage is remaining comfortable over a long period of time increases your risk of becoming complacent.

My current job has given me the opportunity to get uncomfortable again and kick start my personal and professional growth. It's led to a fast and thorough education of a space I was vaguely familiar with when I started. Last week I began to co-write my first blog post for my company--in fact this is my first personal post, not because I feel like I am good at it or that I’m comfortable with sharing my ideas in this format, but for exactly the opposite reason. It’s incredibly uncomfortable and against how I am used to operating, but it’s an opportunity to get involved with a new communication medium and learn a few things in the process.

We are entering into a new year with an economy that is going to be difficult, to say the least. Many workers will be forced to get uncomfortable professionally due to job cuts and restructuring. Those who are forced out of a comfortable role and have become complacent will have a much harder time than those who continuously seek to grow. We've all heard scarcity breeds innovation and creativity. I would add that it’s bred by those who revel in the uncomfortable, roll up their sleeves and embrace the challenge--not solely because they have to, but because they genuinely want to.