A Better Job

You’ll get wet but the reward just might be a more fulfilling ride!

In Survival is Not Enough, author Seth Godin says change is the "new normal.” Rather than thinking of work as a series of stable times interrupted by moments of change, Godin says we “must now recognize work as constant change, with only occasional moments of stability."

For many of us this very thought stirs both a nervous anxiety and an enjoyable excitement. Even if we are fearful, we crave change: the opportunity to try something new, to build on what we know, to stretch our professional muscles.

So how do we deal with the fear, change that career horse in mid-stream and move down the career exploration path on a new stallion

First we have to acknowledge our fears. They may not be rational even to us but we are not seeking our rational thoughts. We are in search of those underlying fears that operate whether or not we are fully aware of them.

Try this…take out a piece of paper and write down all the reasons you can’t or won’t make a career change or job move. Don’t hold back. What are your fears, concerns, reservations etc Are they related to a loss of income or the expectations of others Fear of failure Success Don’t get caught up in how you should feel or that you know a concern is not entirely valid. Just write them down. Think of yourself as a researcher looking for information in a non-judgmental way. We are simply observing ourselves, reserving our conclusions for later.

As you study your list you can easily see that underlying most of our fears is your reluctance to trust your ability to be capable, creative, and resourceful. But a close examination of your track record will reveal that this lack of trust is unfounded. After all, haven’t you accomplished many professional and personal goals Haven’t your setbacks lead to a renewed determination To an enriched experience To a more well rounded professional outlook

Now take a look at that list again. Read each fear or concern slowly and ask yourself, where am I in all or nothing, always or never, black or white thinking Are your thoughts fraught with extreme terms like… If I change jobs I’ll be broke. If I take less money my family will hate me. If I change careers my parents will go berserk. If I pursue a new career my education and experience will be for nothing. If I make the wrong choice I’ll never recover.

Are these statements really true Can you know for a fact that if you make a professional move something terrible will happen While your worst fears could happen, how likely are they to occur if you trust your record of resourcefulness and creatively You may have heard that FEAR is an acronym for False Expectations Appearing Real. Our fears are generally rooted in the perspective that the worst will definitely happen. After all if we really understand the true odds we would move forward with far less anxiety.

In short, coach yourself to be honest about your irrational thoughts. Name your fears. Review them and look for the misconceptions in them. Where are you in an all or nothing perspective Don’t judge yourself for having irrational thoughts. Acknowledge them when they happen and remind your self that such thoughts only trip us up when we pretend we don’t have them!

Once we become aware of our fears we become more agile and willing to cross the proverbial stream with a new horse. The following seven steps will keep you astride that lively and spirited career steed even when things are bumpy and unpredictable.

1. Money isn’t everything. Don’t expect to take a pay cut, especially if you have transferable skills. But, if you do accept a lower salary, make sure it’s a fair exchange for a more rewarding career. Be careful here. Sometimes we get caught up in how it will look to others if we take a pay cut and what does that say about us Remember only you can assess whether a pay cut is worth it.

2. Know your passion. When youre true to your mission, you experience peace and stability. When you ignore the truth, you experience disharmony, indecision and doubt. Work at achieving goals that are compatible with your passion. Trust that your resourcefulness and creativity will make things happen.

3. It’s your life. Close friends and family members may have trouble envisioning you in a different career. Expand your network; make an effort to meet new people. Attend professional events, join an industry association or meet other job seekers online. Remember, what do you want If you know that answer, your personal power will help you achieve your goals.

4. Jump often. Risk taking gets easier with practice. Start with small risks in daily activities. Think of a risk you would like to take. What would you gain from taking it Whats frightening about it Whats the worst thing that could happen if it turned out badly If the worst happened, what would you do What could you do to minimize this What information would make this less risky If you broke the risk into small steps, what would the first step be When could you take it

5. Get creative. Become involved in activities, relationships, hobbies, and spiritual/community activities. With this new focus you may even discover you’re enjoying that unsatisfying job now that you have a more balanced perspective.

6. Don’t give up. The career path is not linear – it’s more like a spiral. On average, it takes four years to change careers, according to Herminia Ibarra, the author of Working Identity: Unconventional Strategies for Reinventing Your Career. It’s a process of trial and error – you will likely face a few disappointments and failures.

7. Be a cheerleader. As you go through a career transition, enthusiasm can help you meet the challenges and overcome the obstacles. When youre networking or job hunting, your enthusiasm can often overcome the reservations potential employers may have about your career change.

About The Author

Merci Miglino is well qualified to help you take the next step to accomplish what you want in your professional and personal life. Merci was educated as a teacher and worked as a journalist, paralegal, communications director and campaign manager. She has also been on the front lines of the retail, hospitality and advertising industries. Armed with this background Merci is a noted speaker, trainer and career coach. She is also a facilitator of the Personal CatalystTM , a unique, web-based life and career design tool that inspires extraordinary achievement. As if that were not enough, she has written a book, From Doormat to Diva© Taking Center Stage in your life. This woman knows success, personally and professionally, and she knows how to help you find it too. merci@matpounders.com

With all the excitement regarding high protein diets, one area that is often not talked about is a diet rich in protein can be a major contributor to bad breath. Actually, there are several causes of bad breath, many of which most people have given little, if any, thought to.

Have you ever thought of the impact a person’s breath can have on their career Often, the only place the smell of your breath is mentioned is in the dentist’s office. Yet, it is definitely something to think of.

Think of the last time you encountered someone with bad breath. Did you tell them Probably not. It’s not as easy to say, “By the way, your breath is offensive,” as it is to say, “You have something on your shirt.”

Have you ever wondered if your breath is offensive Maybe you’re someone who is constantly popping breath mints, chewing gum or spraying your mouth before you talk with others. Consider what repeatedly chewing gum or sucking on a sugar mint might be doing to your teeth.

The purpose of this article is to give you a simple understanding of where bad breath comes from and what you can do about it. As previously mentioned, high protein diets can cause bad breath. Bad breath is caused from bacteria in your mouth or throat. Decay of your teeth can also contribute to bad breath. In addition, illness, smoking, alcohol, diabetes, mucous from the throat and certain foods you eat contribute to an unpleasant odor. In extreme cases the smell is so offensive it indicates serous medical problems.

Contrary to popular belief, rarely is bad breath caused by stomach problems. Nor do mouthwashes cure bad breath. If anything, they act as a temporary solution and add to the problem over the long haul. However, mouthwash in conjunction with flossing, tooth brushing and tongue cleaning can help.

There are simple solutions for better breath and there are more drastic measures some may need to take. On the simple side, cleaning your tongue can help a great deal. You can use your toothbrush to do this. Try to go back as far as you can in order to gain the best result. Some people may initially experience a gag reflex. The more you put this into your oral hygiene practice, the easier it becomes.

Regular professional teeth cleanings are another simple solution. The best part of having a regular cleaning with your dental hygienist is you will be able to catch any contributing problems as soon as possible.

If you have any teeth that need repair such as lose fillings, apparent decay, or chips see you dental professional as soon as possible. Not only will you be able to lessen the problems you may have with bad breath, you will reduce the long-term negative effects such things can have on your mouth and overall health.

Regardless of your profession bad breath is something that impacts you in unspoken ways. With the simple steps outlined in this article you eliminate the possibility that you may be offending someone without even knowing it.

If you are in sales or any profession where you deal with the public, this is especially important for you. Can you risk the chance of offending a customer with something you have the capability of correcting I think not.

About The Author

Dr. Scott Kiser has been practicing general dentistry in Salt Lake City, Utah for over 20 years. Dr. Kiser has used only mercury-free substances in his treatments since the mid 90’s and concentrates his practice in the areas of sedation dentistry and complete smile makeovers. Consumer Research Council of America selected him as Utah’s Top Cosmetic Dentist of 2003 – 04. Dr. Kiser is a member of AACD – American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. Visit www.greatsmilesutah.com to sign up for a FREE monthly online newsletter or for more information on Dr. Kiser and all of his services. Skiserdds@aol.com

1. Differentiate yourself using a Personal Value Proposition. A PVP a description of how your unique mixture of five key elements creates and/or adds value for an organization and the people in it. A personal examination of these elements reminds you of all the strong, positive things you bring to the table and it points out the gaps you need to close before you can position yourself more effectively. Examine each element separately, combine all the data and created a succinct summary of what you have to offer.

The five elements are: The knowledge you have about the events and trends in areas critical to or of most interest to your company and clients; The kinds of internal and external networks that you can tap into to meet corporate/client needs; Your ability to generate and implement superior solutions to organizational issues and concerns; The academic, technical, or interpersonal tools you can bring to bear in key situations and; finally, The personal attributes and strengths you have that sets you apart from others in the organization.

2. Describe yourself in terms of the outcomes you create, not the activities you engage in. Fashion a one-line proclamation, a marketing slogan if you like, that reflects the outcomes you create for your company and its customers.

3. Make it your personal mission to always make others, including your boss, look good. Someone once said, “you can have anything you want; all you have to do is give others what they want.” While there is the odd exception to be sure, most people are fair and honest—willing to share credit where it’s due. Making others look good sweeps you up in their success and almost guarantees that they will help you enjoy successes of your own.

4. Be a can-do person; take to heart the words of the old song, “the difficult I can do right now; the impossible will take a little while.” Instead of saying “I’ve never done that,” say, “I’ll learn how to do it.” Don’t be afraid of steep learning curves. Remember the organization hired you because you were smart. Look for the opportunity in difficulties rather than the difficulties in the opportunities.

5. Develop success from failures. Don’t be afraid to fail or make mistakes. But if you do either take responsibility—don’t project or rationalize. Admitting a mistake or failure and moving forward is proactive not reactive. Above all, identify and remember the learning opportunities in the situation. Forget about everything else and move on.

6. Ask for help. IQ expands exponentially. Together, two people bring four times the intelligence. Super-hero individualism is often counter-productive.

7. Remember the Pareto principle, or the 80/20 rule as it’s more commonly known. Eighty percent of your effectiveness comes from twenty percent of your activities. Manage your priorities and don’t waste time spinning your wheels by engaging unimportant activity.

8. Get yourself in front of an audience. Learn to make effective presentations and make as many as you can. Good presentations are the mark of a true professional. You, your ideas and skills receive broader corporate exposure that, in my experience, can result in challenging new assignments, larger budgets, greater general recognition and even raises and promotions.

9. Develop and use internal and external networks, both formal and informal. People who network well often receive and move information faster, cut through organizational politics more quickly and, create solutions better suited to the needs of their companies. Research in different types of organizations shows that those who develop and use networks usually get to serve on more successful teams, receive early promotions more often, get higher compensation, and get better performance reviews.

About The Author

© Dr. Tom Olson 2004, all rights reserved Permission to reprint article granted as long as this signature remains intact.

Dr. Tom Olson is the author of Don’t Die With Your helmet On. Visit www.Dontdiewithyourhelmeton.com for more information about Dr. Tom, the book and his work info@dontdiewithyourhelmeton.com

"Know your Ruling Star. One man is better received by one nation than another, or is one welcome by one city than another. He finds more luck in one office or position than in another, and all though his qualifications are equal or even identical. Let each man know his luck as well as his talents. Follow your guiding star and help it without mistaking any other for it. Know how to transplant yourself. There are nations with whom one must cross their borders to make ones value felt.” — Balthasar Gracian, Spain, 1600s

Have you ever felt, “Here I am, best job I ever had, good money, an excellent career move — but, what in the world am I doing here where I feel so alone and out-of-place with my surroundings How did this happen to me”

I’ve been there, because someone offered me a job and I accepted, knowing ahead-of-time, intuitively I wouldn’t feel at home in the town and surroundings.

Or — maybe you love your location but, sadly, are unable to find any openings in your field. I’ve been there also. Looking back on my years in Austin, Texas, I can’t believe the number of short-term, soul-emptying jobs I tried very hard and unsuccessfully do to. My job-duration ranged from only two hours which was long enough when you hate what you are doing! to several months each day seeming like an eternity before my opportunities in broadcasting finally came.

It’s a rare person these days who is able to say, “I love this community, love my home, love the work I do, get along great with my business colleagues and supervisors. How do you beat perfection”

There is a wonderful quote I repeated to myself many, many times during my ups and downs in Texas.

“Hence the first principle in changing one’s character is to seek another environment, to let new forces play upon our unused chords, and draw from us a better music.” — Will Durant

That’s what I wanted! I wanted another location — another place — where new forces could play upon my unused chords and draw from me a better music.

“There are nations with whom one must cross their borders to make ones value felt." — Gracian

Yes! Yes! Yes! That’s what I wanted. To cross borders and feel my native talents valued again.

"Know your Ruling Star,” the Spanish priest Gracian wrote in The Art of Worldly Wisdom. “One man is better received by one nation than another, or is one welcome by one city than another. He finds more luck in one office or position than in another, and all though his qualifications are equal or even identical.”

We are better received in certain locations or areas than in others, welcomed when we show up, and we most certainly do find more luck in one place than another.

“But where, where, where is THAT PLACE” I wondered.

In Texas, for every 100% plus I gave in my career, the returns feeling valued, appreciated, and being monetarily rewarded, always fell short.

I hosted a noon talk show for awhile at an Austin TV station. Our ratings were great. The guests I booked were top names in the literary, entertainment, self-improvement, and political arenas.

After our ratings came in one spring, I couldn’t believe how well the show was doing.

Several days later, however, the General Manager wanted to see me.

After all the years of my show’s success, he said, “James, I can’t complain about your ratings. That’s good for ad revenue, but I finally got a chance to see your show yesterday. As you know I only have a tenth grade education, never finished high school, started in sales, worked my way up to where I am today.” He beamed proudly, “I didn’t understand it.”

I knew when he said, “I didn’t understand it,” my show was doomed.

The GM was the standard by which all business decisions at our stations were made.

I wanted to call him, “Idiot,” but restrained myself.

My favorite line in Texas TV came from a female news director who told me, “You have a master’s degree. We don’t need people that smart to do the news.” I never worked at that station.

“Let each man know his luck as well as his talents. Follow your guiding star and help it without mistaking any other for it. Know how to transplant yourself,” Gracian reminds us.

Know how to transplant yourself!

Finally, I did transplant myself, once again. It was time to move from the newsroom and go into teaching; use, finally, that masters degree referred to earlier that wasn’t needed to report the news.

“There is a simple answer to the question ‘What is the purpose of our individual lives” A.J. Ayer wrote. “They have whatever purpose we succeed in putting into them.”

Yet, if you believe you are being guided by and toward a higher destiny, as I do, use what others know their gifts and resources to inform and enlighten yourself.

I’ve also successfully used relocation astrology as an essential tool to follow my guiding star. Through my sessions with Cait Benten, I’m finding, as wed all like to do, a balance of the “right place” and the “right work” combined.

“This time, like all other times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it.” --Ralph Waldo Emerson

http://www.astro-earth-relocation.com/james%20by%20phone.htm

http://www.astro-earth-relocation.com

About The Author

Now, after a career as an award-winning media communicator and as a university professor, James has shared meaning-filled conversations with film stars, recording artists, US Presidents and first ladies, state governors, world-famous authors, scientists, and people from most every walk of life.