Marty Nathan Nemko (b.1950) is an American career coach, radio talk host, and columnist.
Born in New York City’s Bronx to Polish Holocaust survivors, Nemko got a PhD in the evaluation of education from the University of California, Berkeley. He has since lived in Oakland, California, and is among the nation’s most sought-after experts on both career and education issues. He has authored Cool Careers for Dummies (2018,) How to Do Life (2012,) What’s the Big Idea? (2012,) and seven other books on career, education, and life philosophy.
Nemko hosted the Work with Marty Nemko radio show 1987–2019 on an NPR affiliate in San Francisco. As a pastime, Nemko is also a playwright, theater actor, director, pianist, and rose breeder.
More than 500 of Nemko’s articles and chapters of his books are available on his website and his blog.
More: Website • READ: Works by Marty Nemko
Most of us think ourselves bold, individualistic thinkers when in fact we’re tepid if not downright lemmings.
—Marty Nemko
You’ll likely learn more of enduring value from an hour of wise googling than from any course.
—Marty Nemko
Topics: Education, Learning
If someone smiles at you with pursed lips, they’re generally forcing the smile—either because they’re shy or don’t like you.
—Marty Nemko
If the risk/reward ratio of taking an action is good, even if you may fail, it’s usually wise to follow Nike’s advice: Just do it!
—Marty Nemko
To boost motivation: what’s your next 1-second task? It feels good to get even a tiny task done, make progress, and maybe learn something.
—Marty Nemko
A clue to what career you should pursue: When you’re really comfortable, what do you love to talk about?
—Marty Nemko
There’s cost and benefit each time you criticize or suggest. Sometimes, it’s worth the price. Make the choice consciously.
—Marty Nemko
If you want to lock in a new attitude or behavior, say and/or write that and why. Then keep paraphrasing, NOT reading it.
—Marty Nemko
We hear stories of persistence rewarded yet for each of those, hundreds have pressed on only to end up broken and/or broke.
—Marty Nemko
What skill of yours has given you the must success? Use it more.
—Marty Nemko
Topics: Failure
To disagree without creating enmity: “I can see why you’d X. (explain.) And (not but) I’m wondering if Y. What do you think?”
—Marty Nemko
Teamwork is deified. Don’t forget the pluses of individualism: more motivation, bolder/less compromised solutions, speed.
—Marty Nemko
Good conversationalists choose a topic that enables each participant to contribute.
—Marty Nemko
If you have a clearly good idea, to avoid getting talked out of it, get input only on how to better execute it.
—Marty Nemko
Be tough where you must be, kind where you can be.
—Marty Nemko
How feeble are we that we’re swayed more by dubious flattery than by valid suggestions.
—Marty Nemko
Sometimes, a problem has both a rational and an irrational component. It may help to try to solve those separately.
—Marty Nemko
We dun perfectionism, e.g., as causing procrastination. Yet haven’t your perfectionist efforts yielded the most good & satisfaction?
—Marty Nemko
It’s easy to be liked: listen more than talk, praise often, and disagree rarely. The question is, is it worth the loss of integrity?
—Marty Nemko
The pursuit of happiness is often the pursuit of emptiness. Far wiser is the pursuit of contribution.
—Marty Nemko
I used to think most people are intrinsically motivated to work hard. But I’m finding that many if not most people need monitoring.
—Marty Nemko
Just because you can prove someone wrong, doesn’t mean you should.
—Marty Nemko
In your desire to stand out from the horde, beware of hyping yourself, your ideas, or taking inappropriately extreme positions.
—Marty Nemko
A clue to what career or avocation you should pursue is to inventory how you actually spend your discretionary time.
—Marty Nemko
The double standard: If a statement favors redistribution, it gets praised. If favoring meritocracy, it’s usually censored &/or censured.
—Marty Nemko
Before making an argument, ask a likely opponent to lay out the counterargument. Your argument can then incorporate that.
—Marty Nemko
Facing our parents’ aging forces us to confront our own mortality. It reminds us to appreciate and live each moment wisely.
—Marty Nemko
It’s hard to change people’s work style: aggressive vs passive, hardworking vs moderate. So it may be wise to praise their status-quo.
—Marty Nemko
The most powerful motivator may not be fear—people go back to bad habits after a heart attack. Could it be proving themselves right?
—Marty Nemko
Topics: Politics
Might you be wise to focus more on self-acceptance than self-improvement? That might even motivate you to self-improve.
—Marty Nemko
Wondering Whom to Read Next?
Carl Reiner American Comedian
Larry King American TV Personality
Abbie Hoffman American Political Activist
Louis Farrakhan American Religious Leader
Daniel Kahneman American-Israeli Psychologist, Economist
Charles Krauthammer American Political Columnist
Jerry Seinfeld American Comedian
Carole King American Singer
Josiah Royce American Philosopher
Clark Kerr American Educator