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Choose Career Freedom

“No one is coming to solve life’s problems for you.  If you do not do something different, nothing is going to get better.  Happy people are typically pro-active.  They do not passively wait for someone else to do something.  They take initiative in the pursuit of whatever is important to them.  They do not wait for the world or someone else to make them happy, which they know is impossible.” –Nathaniel Branden

Professional Freedom is based on recognizing the choices we have and taking responsibility for them.  Not making a choice is still a choice.  

You may hate your job, you are still choosing to get up and go to your place of work every day.  You might be saying at this moment, “he doesn’t understand, I have to pay the bills, or keep a roof over my head.   I do understand, you are actually choosing to earn money over not showing up for a job you don’t like   There is no judgement in this choice, it sounds like a responsible one.  It is not a circumstance that is happening independently,  it is a choice you are making.  When you don’t own the choices in your life, you start to consider yourself  a victim, and it becomes easy to blame other people, or circumstances for your situation.  This kind of thinking is disempowering, it is giving away your freedom, and will keep you stagnant for a long time.  

Commuters generally take the same route to work every day.  You have probably found the timeliest route and it has become a habit.  You are choosing to use that route every day. We can choose how to respond to someone who cuts us off in traffic, says something we disagree with, or doesn’t do their job.  How and whether you respond is up to you.  If someone does something you don’t like, you choose how to react or respond, how long you want to hang on to it, and how much energy you want to give to it.    Three is no rule, or law of the universe that even says you have to give it a second thought.  It is actually when our emotions run high that we have the opportunity to be our strongest.  This is when the urge to say or do something feels so compelling, it almost doesn’t feel like a choice.  Sometimes our reaction is so quick, the choice may even be just below our consciousness.  You can still bring awareness to it, and decide how you want to proceed.  

Are you expecting your company or boss to look after you, because you have been so loyal and done such a great job?  There isn’t any person or organization that will look out for your interests better than you can. At any moment you can choose to start taking care of yourself, taking responsibility for your life, and your choices.  This is where you stop blaming others in your past or your present; you recognize a white knight or fairy godmother is not coming to rescue you.  You present situation is the result of choices you made, you can also make choices that will change your current circumstances if they are not to your liking.  

This is when a person grows up.  It is a scary prospect to take responsibility for one’s life, career, and especially of your dreams.  There isn’t anyone that can make your dreams happen for you, there isn’t any other person that is concerned with doing this.  Even if there were, the most empowering thing you can do for yourself is to act is if there weren’t, and go out and make them happen yourself.  Who knows whether they will happen.  Taking responsibility for them, what needs to be done, will in itself be transformative.

Go out and try it for a day, week, month, year.  Just take responsibility for your choices, your life, and your dreams. Let us know what happens.

Resume Writing for C.E.O.’s

This New York Times article highlights the challenges senior executives face when looking for new work. Through highlighting the relationship between a laid off CEO and his Career Coach, they highlight some vital points senior executives should implement when seeking new employment. These include structure of a resume, and just how important networking is. Not networking in the sense of handing out business cards, instead initiating contact with people you know and don’t know to discuss ideas, and your plan.

Here are some excerpts with a link to the full story below.

“We try to work on it a little every day,” Mr. Redmond said. “Three contacts today, three tomorrow. At the end of month we have 60 people thinking about this guy who can bring all this knowledge to a growing industry.”

………executives …typically..find new positions in seven to nine months, although in a recession that could be a year. Full Article

Some Who Are Out of Work Make Their Own

Alex Andon, 24, a graduate of Duke University in biology, was laid off from a biotech company last May. For months he sought new work. Then, frustrated with the hunt, he turned to jellyfish.

In an apartment he shares here with six roommates, Mr. Andon started a business in September building jellyfish aquariums, capitalizing on new technology that helps the fragile creatures survive in captivity. He has sold three tanks, one for $25,000 to a restaurant, and is starting a Web site to sell desktop versions for $350.
more @ NY Times

Keep The Faith!

What do these 10 Time Magazine covers have in common?

They are all from the 70’s. More good times to come.

Ten Strategies for Success in Corporate America

In light of the current turbulent business and economic times, most people are in survival mode. They are hoping they do not get fired, and thankful to have a job. Gratitude is always a good thing. Even in these turbulent times, one does not need to lose sight of their dream, or vision. People will still get promotions, raises, and make lots of money. While there are never any guarantees, these suggestions for rising to the top hold just as true in a thriving economy as they do in a down economy.

1. Develop a compelling vision for yourself.  You can’t get somewhere if you don’t know where you are going.  Have a clear strong vision of what you believe, who you are, and where you are heading. Write it, draw it, make a collage, just get it down on paper. 
2. Translate your vision into goals. Choose goals that are in alignment with your vision. Write down five of the goals that will turn your vision into reality 
3. Become known in your company or industry as the person who gets things done. Identify the projects and roles that will increase your visibility and contribute to your company’s success. Capitalize on it.
4. Study your boss, his boss, and the leaders of your company and industry. Discover how they got where they did. 
5. Play well with others. Develop relationships with hundreds of colleagues throughout your company and industry. Be well-known and well-liked.
6. Be a leader.  it’s very different than a manager.
7. Exude enthusiasm.  I am always surprised at how many people say they love their work, with an expressionless face.   If you love your work, show it. Enthusiasm is infectious; people love to be around it. If you don’t love your work, maybe you need to reconsider what you are doing?
8. Learn. Always be learning about your industry and company. What’s coming down the road?  How does technology impact it?   If you think there is nothing new to learn about your role, business, or industry, Think Again!
9. Become indispensible. Have the impactful client, skill, knowledge that no one else has.  
10. Take risks. Don’t be afraid to take calculated risks where there is high potential for success, and little room for disaster.  

Happy Birthday Granny D

Granny D just turned 99. The icon, activist and grandmother of 16, has walked across America and travels the country fighting for the causes she believes in. At the age of 94 she ran for U.S. Senator Below is an excerpt from one of her many inspiring talks.

Finding your genius is sometimes a hard trick. Sometimes it is easily spotted, embraced and nurtured. But some of you will not find it until you are old and gray. Some of you will never find it, though it was always there for you to find, I assure you. Sometimes we see it and do not want to find it quite where it pops up. “Well, yes, I happen to be very good at that, but, Dear Lord, I don’t want to be that for life.” Read More

Conform or not to conform

A long-time favorite of mine, here is Henry David Thoreaus take on conformity, from the last chapter of Waldon.

“Why should we be in such desperate haste to succeed and in such
desperate enterprises? If a man does not keep pace with his
companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let
him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.
It is not important that he should mature as soon as an apple tree
or an oak. Shall he turn his spring into summer? If the condition
of things which we were made for is not yet, what were any reality
which we can substitute? We will not be shipwrecked on a vain
reality. Shall we with pains erect a heaven of blue glass over
ourselves, though when it is done we shall be sure to gaze still at
the true ethereal heaven far above, as if the former were not?”
Henry David Thoreau,

Don’t Watch This Video

Don’t watch this video now. Save it for when you feel like you can’t get out of bed in the morning to start your day.

Meet Nick Vujicic:

Recession – Doom or Boom

I am not sure if it is biological or human conditioning, but it seems that we spend a lot more time worrying or stressing over what might go wrong, rather than expecting something extraordinary to happen. Worrying and stressing are not at the top of my agenda these days, don’t get me wrong, the reality of what is happening in the financial, business, and job markets certainly lend themselves to concern.I am not an economist or finance expert so my understanding of most of what is going on is limited. However, I did decide to do a little research. There have been over 30 recessions since the mid 1800’s. As there is always an expansion after a recession, this means that there have been as many or more economic expansions.  

The saying “the best defense is a good offense” comes to mind. There may be as many if not more opportunities during this time. I don’t have advice to offer, just some facts from which you can draw your own conclusions.

During a recession

• GE, Disney, Microsoft, Coors, Dominos Pizza, and Super 8 Motels were started.
• People get hired and promoted.
• People still spend money.
• Even if people are spending less money on buying new stuff, they are spending money on taking care of and repairing what they already own.
• Banks and credit card companies still process billions of transactions every day.
• Lots of people and business tend to react by slowing down. They believe there are none, or very few deals to be had. Could this be a time to ramp up?
• Some industries will still grow, others will shrink
• Employers are more likely to seek out a great fit at a reasonable salary, one whom they would have to pay a higher salary for during other times.
• People who are easy to get along with, fun and enthusiastic are less likely to lose their jobs.
• Unemployed people will need help in finding new jobs.
• Businesses need help navigating the recession
• There are great deals to be had both in terms of consumer products, and buying businesses and properties.
• Having a unique or specialized set of skills will make you stand out regardless of the economy.

There are many other opportunities out there, these were just a few to perhaps nudge a shift in your thinking.I saw an interview this weekend with Patricia Routledge the English actress. When she was asked by another actor what she attributed her success to, she said taking risks. If you are successful and you continue to do what brought you that success, you will continue to have the same success. It is by trying something different or new that will bring you the next level of success.

Career Freedom – Playing To Win

Career Freedom in it’s most basic form is exercising your power to choose, what you do, when you do it, and how you go about doing it. Many like to take the position that they do not have a choice when it comes to their career, that they are some sort of trap because of financial, family or other reasons. They are still making a choice to put whatever it is over the choice concern their work. The key to freedom here is being aware of where you have choices that you previously did not see, and perhaps making different choices.

Career like almost any other endeavor in life, can be looked at as a game. Most people are in career games they did not consciously choose ,or chose for the wrong reasons. Everyone in their family is a doctor, so they became one; or they chose if because it was lucrative, or for one of many other reasons.

They are playing the game of wealth, status, and prestige. A game that has been handed to them. Unfortunately this is a game that relatively few people win. If everyone could win that wouldn’t be very much fun. It is no surprise that so many people suffer from work related stress illness, ranging from discontentment to hatred ,or even depression over their work.

People feel trapped to some degree; they don’t see they can make the decision to start playing a different game. Choosing the game you are in, and what you are playing for is a huge responsibility, it would mean freedom. Pursuing what you want, not what your parents want for you, teachers think is best for you, or the media suggests you should want. In the end this is the only type of game worth playing, a game whose outcome is intrinsically important to the individual playing it.

As in traditional games, not only does winning have to be important to you, but playing well does too. While winning is much more fun, you can still do really well, play great, and not have the highest score. I wouldn’t mind the payout the losing team at the Super Bowl or World Series receives.

Playing to win requires perseverance, courage, and heart, which you can only sustain when something is intrinsically important to you, it connects to who you are at your essence;

• An athlete is willing to endure hours of practice and injury because their game is important to them.
• An actor goes through thousands of rejections because it is important enough to them.
• Doctors are willing to take someone else’s life in their hands, because it is the game they are meant to be in.

So how does one figure this out. I have had clients that figured it out in a couple of weeks and others have taken longer. The process of discovering can be played like a game as well. Before you can even name the game, consider what winning looks like? If you were looking back one year from now, and your situation was perfect what would it be like? What would it feel like? How would you know that you were winning your career game?

What would have to happen for you to win?

Taking this on is not for everyone. It requires a strong commitment and can be challenging at times. After all it were too easy, that wouldn’t be a game worth playing. If you take this path, there will be lots of distractions and pressure to play a game someone else thinks you should play, a game that seems like it has an easy pay off, although it will be on someone else’s terms.

Consider this quote by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 18^th Century German Poet: “Concerning acts of initiative there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would come his way. Whatever you can do or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius power and magic in it.”