You have revised your resume several times, sent resumes and cover letters to ads on the internet daily, joined social networks and done all the suggestions that you have heard about getting jobs today and you are still unemployed…..  

What should you do now?

The truth is that after months or even years, your motivation is beginning to drain.  Being a responsible individual, you are beginning to feel frustrated and hopeless.  No matter how many resumes and interviews or contacts you make, the opportunities just don’t seem to be available to you today.

I know that this article must hit home to many individuals because I have seen many of the same resumes answering my job advertisements over the past couple of years.  The problem is that because of the job shortage, companies that are hiring only want to hire the “Perfect Fit” for their particular vision of the “Perfect Employee”.  No longer does the fact that you are very trainable, a quick learner or have excellent potential considered for positions like before.  It is very rare today for us to be able to place a person in a position strictly because of their potential.

So, what does an individual do today to secure a good job?  Of course, there is training and education, but many times these paths require a financial payment, as well as, time.  Time and money has run out for many people.  There may be mentorship available for some, however, this also takes time and usually it is a period of no income.

1. Stop Playing The “Blame Game” – No matter what you do for a living or where you are in your career, the situation is the same.  This economy is in trouble and that trouble trickles down to all of us.  If we put our efforts into blaming others, then we are spending energy we need to correct the situation for ourselves.  Unfortunately, no one else is going to “save us” from what is happening, they are too worried about what is happening to themselves.  Sad but true.  Take the energy you are spending on anger, blame, disappointment, frustration and non-productive feelings and use it to discover you own way out of the situation we have found ourselves surviving in today.
2. Look At Your Situation Realistically – This is a hard one for me and I know for many others.  Begin questioning yourself and asking tough questions……  i.e.  ”What are my strengths?” “What are my negative issues?”, “What opportunities are there around me?”, “What limitations do I have around me?”, “What alternatives do I have to create something for my future?”, “What are the things in my way?”.  There are questions within these questions and don’t be afraid to ask them of yourself.  Discovering answers to these questions may pleasantly surprise you, when you actually begin to understand what you might be able to accomplish.  If you find that you still feel hopeless, look at everything again, you are probably missing some potential opportunities because we all have “value” inside us and outside the potential that we easily recognize.
3. Appreciate What You Do Have – Now that you have been able to discover the things that you do possess, it is time to genuinely appreciate them.  What other items, people, talents, and personal traits do you truly appreciate in your life.  What about your family, your friends, your health, your pets, where you live, or even little things around you, including the weather, nature, or other things that bring a smile to your face.  It is easy for us to not recognize what we do have, when we dwell on what we don’t have.  When we dwell on what we don’t have, we begin to dwell on fear of what will come.  Fear is one of the biggest reasons we stay stuck in our situations.  Remember:  ”Action overcomes Fear“.  (Not sure who said that……… but remember it.).  Whenever you find yourself dwelling on what you don’t have, remember those things that you do have and think of one particular time when you were truly filled with happiness.  Close your eyes, and imagine all those great emotions and stay with it until, the unhappiness or fear passes.
4. Create A Plan – Without a plan, you don’t have an internal GPS.  When you discover and appreciate all those wonderful things that you do have going for you, you can ask yourself the question……”What is it that I offer others that no one else has to offer in the way that I can offer it?”  This is such a great question to ask yourself.  Take this questions seriously, as it is one of the most important questions you can ask yourself when you are ready to create your own success in life.  When you find that answer, make your decision based on it and then begin the process of moving forward toward it.  When you have a clear vision of the direction you want to go, and you make plans toward reaching that goal, you have taken the first steps toward your success.  There  will surely be wrong turns along your path but your path is clear.  We have seen many people in our lifetime and throughout history that have had a vision and no matter what came their way, they were determined to get there.  Whoever, your visionary is, cut out a picture of him or her and put it on your computer, your refrigerator, your desk, or wherever you need that inspiration.  Believe me, it does help you to follow your path and reach your dream (goal).  (To give you a few ideas of people, think about:  Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey, Henry Ford, Jewel, Willie Nelson, Alexander Graham Bell, Bill Gates, Obama,……………….. and all the others that created a plan, followed it, didn’t let anything stop them and finally reached what they considered success.
5. Go For It!!!!!!! – You have spent the time to figure out the perfect direction for yourself.  Now is your time to soar.  Don’t let others deter you.  There will be those that think you are crazy and want you to conform to the old ways of doing things.  Understand, that these people may truly care about you but because of their own fear or because of their lack of their own internal GPS, don’t see the vision that you do.  Look for constructive criticism, realize that no one but you understands or has the same passion for your plan.  If you believe in what you have created………. Make it work.  You may need to find mentors, you  may need to take classes, you may need to make new acquaintances, you may have to change your wardrobe, you may even need to move.  The time for creating and the time for changing your own expectations is in front of you.  This is your time to soar!  You know that you are not one of the unemployed statistics, but an individual that is needed in this world.  Once you understand your worth, you have appreciated all that you have, and created a plan to use what you have in a direction that you know is right for you, how can you lose?…..How would it even be possible for you to lose?…………because this is what you were made to do…from the beginning of your existence and now you have no doubt of that that fact!!!!!

Believe me, I understand that this feels like a risk for you and for your family.  However, if you have been doing all the things that have been told you to find that job opportunity and you are no closer than you were before, is it really a risk?  At this point, it is a risk to not change your approach.  Think of the rewards possible if you follow this path that you have discovered and created for yourself.  Finding your own way in this world is what we all strive for from the time we are born.  This approach to finding a new career plan or actually a life plan that offers you a solution to the problems you are facing today just might be the answer you need.

When old ways don't work anymore, consider creating new ones. It is a good idea to use some intensely careful consideration and intense research. Be Sure to ask yourself serious thought-provoking questions, however, before creating any new plan..

The reason I did not continue to teach resume and cover letter writing or interviewing skills was exactly this reason.  I was seeing too many people use the old methods, and the adapted methods,  without success.  If your comfort zone is in still following the old methods, start small with step one but keep sending out those resumes, making your network connections and and answering those ads you see in the newspaper and online.  You might find that the next connection you make is the “right connection”.  However, consider creating an alternative career solution just in case and “Just For You”.   You might find that you begin to soar even further than you ever expected.

None of us know how the current world situation may affect us in the future.  What we do know is that uncertainty today surrounds us.  It is more important than ever for us to take control of the things that we can do something about for our own self preservation.  Our future needs to be more in our control and not outside forces beyond our control.  With that in mind, start discovering your own secrets to what you consider success in your life.  It is more obvious today than ever before that depending upon others is not a secure approach to our own well being.

Make the best of yourself and discover how you can provide the best future for you and your family even in the world we live in today by discovering and creating the life you were destined to live!!

The Goal For Your Life:   “Soar”

Discover a new way of thinking about your future.  Job Opportunities and Career Planning today needs to be re-evaluated by each of us.

Visit Our Career Plan 2 Informational Training Page Here

P.S………………  just wanted to share these with you – I found these pics when I was looking for the horse and car pic:

Don’t ever think your idea is too wacky!!!!!!!!!  – Just Research, Research, Research

Each of us see ourselves as unique individuals. 

The fact is that we truly are unique and there is no other person like us

in

the world today. 

We each have special skills, talents, likes or dislikes.  

We also have particular functions in our lives that are not always that easy for us or that we do not feel especially comfortable performing. 

Discovering the best in ourselves is part of creating our success in today’s world.

During the 1960′s, there was a movement by the “baby boomer generation“  to show each individual’s uniqueness.  It is my personal opinion that during that time our parents and elders wanted us to conform because they were afraid of change.  It is no wonder then, that at that time, young people felt a need to express themselves and be different from what “the establishment” expected of them.  For some of us, this was very difficult, because we had been taught the “right and wrongs” from our parents.  We felt internally that these “acts of normalcy” weren’t always right for us, but these internal feelings created a sense of “doing the wrong thing” when we followed our own hearts.  For me, it was walking a “tight rope” and when I had the opportunity to jump off and just “experience who I was”, I didn’t know where the rope ended.   Finding new and exciting ways of looking at the world through my own eyes was difficult.  It took a long time for me to find my own, personal, comfort zone in this world.

It is a different world today.  Change is normal.  The world is changing so rapidly that it makes our head spin. Being different, having novel ideas, creating oneself to represent what feels right to them, is appreciated, not feared.  Innovators, creators, developers and those individuals with new ideas are more appreciated and accepted than ever before.  One of the results of this new acceptance of “atypical thinking” is all of the new technology that we accept today as exciting and beneficial.  Having an entrepreneurial  spirit is admired, envied and promoted much more today than every before.  Instead of negative fears about an entrepreneur not succeeding today, we find more and more opportunities for the “free thinker” today and appreciation for his spirit and passion.

Programs such as “The Voice”, “American Idol”, “Project Runway”, “Face Off” and even “Survivor”, promotes the spirit of “following your dreams”.  How many of you watch these programs and feel the inspiration that each of us finds in the spirit of these competitors.  Our dreams may not be of performing on stage or even surviving in the jungle, but because each of us possess our own dreams, we experience a sense of pride that each of these people are engaging in an opportunity to reach their goals.  It is important to also see that most of these people, don’t give up on their dreams, just because they are not winners of their challenge.  Following your personal path takes determination in the knowledge that this is the “right path for you”.

Many people know what dream they want to follow from a young age.  Sometimes the dream may be vague and need direction.  Other times, individuals may have no idea what path it is they want to take in life.  They may let others influence their decisions and end up following someone else’s dream.   At some point, however, these individuals may realize the “right direction” for them and take action.  Action is the key word here, no matter where you are in your lifetime. 

Today’s economy has left us with uncertainty about our future.  Some of our choices are no longer opportunistic for our path’s forward.  Finding a career solution for today gives us the perfect opportunity to challenge ourselves to discover our passions and creative ideas.  This is not the same period of time as when your parents found career solutions for their futures.  Career solutions today need to be tweaked to fit the society in which we live.

Begin by noticing what people talk about, what people enjoy doing, where people go, and what are the big topics that concern or interest individuals around you.  What do people around you see as accomplishments or success?  Some days in the world we live in, we are looking to find something positive that will bring a smile to our faces.  After you look outward, begin looking inward.  What makes you smile, what do you talk about, where to you go, what do you do that brings a smile to your face and brings a sense of accomplishment or joy?  Look below the surface.  It may not be just what you are doing but that you enjoy the process of doing it.  Henry Ford and Thomas Edison enjoyed the act of invention.  Writers enjoy the process of writing and airline pilots enjoy the act of flying.  You may discover that within the act of doing something, a new approach may be the answer for a career solution for today.

An excellent example for this is teaching.  If a teacher enjoys teaching and as a hobby enjoys cooking, perhaps a career solution might be teaching cooking to individuals.  To take this example further, if the teacher is a fan of Italian or Mexican Food, this could be incorporated into a specific niche for a career solution.  This teacher could start at the local learning annex or begin classes from home.  She might consider creating a course for students after school.  Today, of course, we have the new option for creating a new career by using the internet.

Once you begin thinking in these new terms of finding a career plan solution, you will see possibilities for yourself and others.  Your individualism is your biggest asset today.  Remember that because you are “who you are”, there is no one that can do what you can do in exactly the same way.  There is no magic here, only looking at career plans differently.  I recently spoke to a student that had a hard time passing the SAT.  He created a study idea that worked for him and is now planning to create a program to help others study and pass.  He knows that it will help others because it helped him pass the exam with the scores he needed.  He plans to start creating a small ebook and marketing it through Kindle, then possibly creating an on-line class around his creation.

When ideas begin to flow within you, let them.  Write them down, no matter how “far out” they may be.  Keep looking at your “Idea List” and as more ideas come to you, you may see a pattern.  Even if there is no pattern, you begin to think differently.  Possibilities begin to invade your thinking and you see more options for career solutions than you ever realized were possible.

Remember: 

Create Your New Career Solutions For Today's World!

“We Are Not One Dimensional Beings.” 

and 

“We Are Not Only The Job We Perform Right Now”

Once you start creating a new plan for yourself, there may be opportunities that arise that you had not considered.  Don’t get distracted by opportunities that will lead you away from your plan, but be ready and open to possibilities that enhance your goals.  Be sure to always do your research and take the time to understand the potential outcomes before jumping into what may seem to be the “perfect” opportunity, but may actually take you in a direction away from your success.

I have talked to lots of people about a new career plan and found that many of the obstacles are the same.  Individuals sometimes tell me they don't know what they like to do enough to create a career for themselves.  Other people say they like too many things and that they don't know what to choose as a niche.  Some people have no idea what creating a career based on their own talents, skills, likes or dislikes would even "look like"

These problems seem common to many people.  Another issue is fear.  Fear has been an issue for me, and I fight it everyday.  Fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of spending time and money on something that doesn’t work.  Of course, we also have fear of success.  Questions like, “what if this doesn’t work?”, “what if people think I’m crazy?”, “what if I spend all my money and time and find I don’t like this after all?”.  Those “what if” questions circle through our heads no matter what new things we attempt to do.  My favorite saying is “Action overcomes fear”.

Financial considerations are also a big stopping point for people.  There is no doubt that any new endeavor takes money.  What we need to keep in mind is the goal.  When we figure out the goal, then we make a plan to take steps to accomplish the goal.  When our obstacles, including finances, become part of the steps to reaching our goal, they become challenges.  Challenges are what we must overcome to get to our goal.  So when you actually bring your financial issues down to a challenge level, you begin to create ways to overcome that challenge.  Whether you look for loans, free training, mentors, volunteering, or other resources, the financial consideration becomes only something you must “work out” to reach the goal.  Instead of stopping you, you become “challenged” to find the answer to the problem.

Picture the goal and do what you can to reach the goal. 

Recently I took a class from Jeff Walker, who is an expert in product launching on the internet.  Jeff explains reaching your goal like this:  (of course I am paraphrasing)

It it very rare to accomplish your goal on your first try.  Think of reaching your goal like playing golf.  Each swing you take moves you closer to the hole.  As long as you visualize where you want to be, you continue to move closer by each try.  Some swings may take you way off your mark, but then the next one may bring you in very close to getting to your goal.

I remember when I was taking one of my first ski lessons, the instructor said to look where you want to go and your skis will follow.  Usually I was looking up so I could slow down.  That advice has stuck with me over these years and I think it is true for life projects.  If you stay focused on your intention, you will be motivated to follow through to that intention.  Many times, however, we let the challenges or steps to reaching where we want to go stop us from reaching our destination.

I keep this wonderful quote by John F. Kennedy on my own bulletin board:

“There are risks and costs to a program of action.  

But they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of  comfortable inaction.“

Today, I personally believe it is important for us to understand that the old things that we always counted on, like job security, financial well being, and a stable economy do not exist anymore.  It has become more evident to all of us that our well-being, financially and personally needs to be controlled by what we do to provide for our future.  Depending upon that one company, or that one business, or any “one thing” is dangerous today.  That is why I promote discovering alternatives and multiple options for income producing situations for ourselves.  What better way to do this than by self discovery and creating alternatives based on who you are and what you can offer the world?

Don’t stand in your own way.  Each of us have potential to give the world something special and to enjoy ourselves along the way.  Our future security depends upon looking at all options and finding our own path. You can have the life you want if you believe in yourself and find the career plan that opens opportunities that only you can create.

To Learn More About My Career Plan 2 Training Program – Click Now

Human beings have been evolving over all these many years and as they are evolving,, their career opportunities have changed and their career plans have adapted to what is happening in the world around them.

The past couple of decades have seen unbelievable changes in our world.  From the telephones to our computers, to our cars, to finding a mate, and to even the way we look at our food, our world is evolving and hopefully for the better.  As we learn what works best for us, we adapt to our new challenges.

Today, we are faced with many realities and challenges that we had never experienced before.  Our world is smaller due to the internet and the connection opportunities that we have due to the advancements of our communication systems.  We can immediately know what is going on in our city, state, country or around the world.

As a recruiter in the 1990′s, I used to give typing test to young people looking for employment after graduation.  I remember a young woman walking into the typing room where I gave the test on an IBM electric typewriter.  She turned to me and asked me what that was in front of her.  She had never seen an electric typewriter before and all her training had been on a computer.  I realized at that instant that my testing procedures must evolve to adapt to the changes happening in our world.

Today, if we consider how rapidly cell phones have evolved and the many functions they perform, there is no question that things are changing rapidly.  It is easy for us to adapt to some of the changes going on around us, because we want to change.  These changes give us more flexibility and perform functions in our lives, that we appreciate.  Consider, how much of lives today revolve around the internet and computers.  We even use them to find restaurants in our neighborhoods, or look up words in the dictionary.

The word I think is important for today is “Evolve”.  Our goal must be to evolve to the environment in which we live today.  If we resist evolving into the world, we are losing out on many opportunities that this new world offers us.

Of course, this blog is all about career planning.  So, I suggest you start looking around you and discovering the new opportunities that exist.  Think of it this way, before the wheel was invented there were no jobs for truck drivers, moving companies or taxi drivers.  This may be a very simple way of thinking about it, but we can take many of the jobs that have been around for sometime now, and relate it back to the evolvement of our society.

So, the Word for the Day —- (for those of you that remember PeeWee Hermann’s -”Word of The day”,  is look around and…………..

EVOLVE !

There are so many opportunities today that did not exist before, that we only need to look around us to find them.  Along with new opportunities, come new ways of learning.  There are many opportunities for you to educate yourself from your home on your own schedule.  There are even free programs available to learn some skills.  Mentoring has also become very popular and it is sometimes easy to find people that have specific knowledge that are willing to share with you.

Your career choice might have been severely affected over the past couple of years.  In my case, it definitely was affected and my financial security was definitely put into jeopardy.  Looking back now though, I admit that the job I was doing had become relatively stagnant for me and to be truthful, there was no real challenge.  I felt like I could do it in my sleep.

That is when I personally decided that it was time for me to evolve and that is when my challenges began.  I have spent the past 3 years evolving and truthfully awakened to a new way of looking at my future.  It is a scary process, but so far, I have been challenged to my limit and am still convinced that I am on the right path for myself and others.  I like what I have learned about myself and am excited to help others learn more about themselves in order to evolve into a future that will offer them all they deserve.

Make your goal for your future:     TO EVOLVE            

*****

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 Click Here

The economy has changed many of our former job opportunities

and

not always in a good way.

You may still have a job but because of the cut backs at companies, you may feel more insecure, frustrated or overworked.  Your duties may have been expanded to include responsibilities that were not part of your old job description.  It may also be that your job opportunities have been diminished, to the point that you are not able to successfully find employment.  As a baby boomer, this is extremely devastating as you might have been able to “visualize clearly” the retirement years and how you would spend them.  As a new graduate, you might be finding yourself asking the question….“What Now?……  I prepared for my new career, but the opportunities for that job are no longer plentiful or even a reliable option for long-term security.”

Let’s Take A New Look At What Is Going On Today –

This time with a different perspective.

(In another blog, I gave the definition of  a “job”.

I also gave the definition of “work”.)

There are Several Definitions of Success

(for my purposes………here are a couple.)

• 1.  The accomplishment of an aim or purpose.
• 2.  The attainment of popularity or profit.

There are several definitions of  Life

(for my purposes……..here are a couple.):

*

It Is A Matter Of Perception, A Positive Attitude,

and

A Commitment To Succeeding That Is Really Needed Today

 ***********************

Here Is A Wonderful Quote By Henry David Thoreau:

“There is only one success:  To Be Able To Live Your LIfe In Your Own Way.”

Get Your Free: New Career Get Started Guide:  Click Now!

*****

For Information About Our 10-Lesson Training & Membership program:

 Click Here

Since I have been involved with learning about internet marketing, I have found many other people that are involved in the self-discovery process and am amazed at the information that I receive from those individuals that believe in themselves and will share the information that they discover with others.  We are all on this journey of discovery together and sharing helps us grow.

Yesterday, I received an email from Devon Brown, who creates software and also does coaching for the internet business.  I wanted to share what he sent to me in the email because it is so relevant to each of us today.  He didn’t know who wrote this, and I tried to find out the author myself, but it seems it is an unknown individual.  So, I want to give Devon the credit because he is the one that introduced this to me.  Read it and see where you see yourself today……………

Winner vs Loser
  by: Author Unknown, Source Unknown

This blog seems to need to be written today.

In two places today, I have heard this question.

Would You Do Your Job Even If You Didn’t Get Paid?

Have you ever sat in an interview and were so excited about the job opportunity, that your thought was…….

“I am so excited about this job, I would probably do it for free!”  ?

We all have those interests and passions that would make it possible for us to feel that way about a job.  The problem many times is that sometimes our thoughts are more like…………….

“I sure wish this interview would be over because I would hate working for this guy or doing this job or working at this place!”

In today’s world finding a job is so difficult for some people, that that thought must be rolling around in many individual’s heads.  The sad truth is that those people may even have to take those jobs if they are offered to them.  There are so many people that are under-employed, unhappily employed and. unfortunately, unemployed that finding that feeling of really wanting to do a job and not get paid for it because it appeals to “who you are”, “what you like” and “what you are good at doing” may be difficult to find these days.

As I have been working on Career Plan 2 for you, I have not been on a salary.  However, as you can see lots of work has gone into this site and the training it has taken me to produce it.  That is because I seriously looked at myself before I decided to create this Career Plan 2 for you.  I looked at all aspects of various options for myself and I even made some serious “wrong decisions”.  However, eventually I realized that helping others survive (financially and happily) in this new economy was what I was drawn to doing.  I also carefully looked at how I could create it around my own opportunities and living arrangements.

While I was working on this site spending time, money and late nights, a friend of mine made this comment:

 ”Until You Get Paid For Something……….It is Only A Hobby.“

The interesting thing about this comment to me was that he is an entrepreneur (solopreneur) and has his own business locally.  As an entrepreneur (solopreneur) myself for so many years, I know there is a period when you are starting a business that you have to pass through which is a building period.  During this building period, usually it is a time of making no salary.  Most businesses do not make money immediately.  

The point to be made here is, discovering what will work for you may take time.  There is nothing about creating a business or a new career that does not involve preparation.  The college student may have a sincere interest in his choice of education, but he is not making money during this time, nor is a college education a hobby (for most).   The entrepreneur also must spend time creating the best way to make his plan work and this may involve learning new things and laying the ground work for his success.

Whatever your choice is for a career plan, it will require preparation.  Depending upon your choice, the time may be several years.  Understand that finding what will work for you is a serious decision because you want to feel that feeling of:

I would do this job even if I didn’t get paid.

 I know this is the right choice for me!

Learn more about Career Plan2…………. Watch our Video!

Are you aware that many of the skills that are used in one job are skills that can be used in an entirely different job?  There may be job opportunities available today that need those skills you have learned in other jobs, volunteer work, special interests and even your hobbies.  Take the time to discover these special skills and consider employment options that need these skills.  These skills and talents are called transferable skills.  Once you are aware of these transferable skills, you can begin to discover new ways of using these talents to create a new approach to your employment options.

In the early 1980′s, I worked in a two-year college to help graduating students find jobs.  Many of these individuals had no previous work experience other than fast food or holiday retail experience.  Some students had done volunteer work or helped in their family business.  Even if they had only experienced school, we looked at their accomplishments.  Sometimes, we could use the projects they had completed or any of the successes they had during their school experience, to express the abilities or talents that they possessed to complete the tasks required.  By really looking at the skills that these student’s used, we were able to add information to their new resumes that added value when they were seeking their new jobs.

Today, if you are finding that the opportunities for a new job in your previous field are few, you might take the time to investigate those skills and talents that you used when you were in you last positions.  Consider the skills you need in any volunteer work you performed, part-time or hobbies, as well.  Again, many of these skills are transferable to tasks required for different job tasks or responsibilities.

Here is a short way to begin learning what transferable skills you have.  Take a piece of paper and fill in the following information from 5 experiences in your life:

Previous Job or Action:

Tasks Required:

Skills Required For The Task:

My Skill Level  (scale from 1 – 5  with 5 being the highest): 

Is It A Skill You  Enjoy Using? (scale from 1 – 5 with 5 being the highest):

Write A Sentence Connecting The Skill To Other Job Requirements,

backing up your statement from your experience:

After you have done this for 5 experiences and discovered what transferable skills you can use and enjoy using, you have created a Summary of Qualifications statement with valuable talents that you possess to bring to a new employer.  You are also prepared for answering questions during the interview process, thus proving value to your new prospective employer.

Finding opportunities for employment today takes creativity.  Finding your skills that other industries, companies or job sources could use will bring you the hope you need for finding new or different opportunities for yourself.  Employers are looking for future employees that understand their value and have positive attitudes.  You do have skills that employer’s or others need.  Spend the time to evaluate yourself, so that you are ready to “sell yourself” to a potential employer.

“As long as we have not given ourselves reason to trust our abilities,

we can but plead for luck”

*****

 Click Here

I have heard lots of optimism for our New Year and it has made me start thinking about:

What Is Optimism?

Where does our Optimism come from?

Let’s start with the definition according to Webster Learning Dictionary:

After the experiences of the past few years, it is refreshing to hear optimism for our economy, job market, and our future in general.  It depends upon who you are listening to or what statistics are being used, whether the word optimism is used or not.

It is a year of political decisions, so we are hearing a lot from our future potential candidates regarding what they see for our future.  When we listen to the candidates about how they perceive the future economic situations in our world today, we begin to notice that the optimistic ones talk of their plans.  We’ve heard a lot about plans from the political candidates and the political parties.

It made me think about how making plans affect our optimism for our future.  Even making our 2012 resolutions, we are making decisions about how we will behave in the coming year.  These decisions may or may not involve making plans.  However, it is usually the individuals that make a plan of how to keep those resolutions that will experience success.

I have a friend that I have known since high school.  He always was optimistic about everything. He  was so optimistic about everything, he was irritating to those around him.  No matter what he did or who he met, everything was going to be wonderful and successful.  The problem was he was “blindly optimistic”.  He just believed that everything would work out the way he expected it to work out and followed every whim that he thought about.

Today, he is still optimistic but has a sense of realism.  Life has made him understand that “blind optimism” does not always work.  Planning is part of succeeding.  Setting goals and creating the path to get to those goals gives you the direction you need to know when you have succeeded and keep you on the path to success.  As we try to move forward toward anything in life, we find lots of distractions and challenges.  It is having a plan that keeps us moving forward toward what we are trying to achieve.

Recently, I read the following saying:  

Action Overcomes Fear

(This I have experienced personally and know it to be true for me.)

Here’s something that occurs to me:

Planning Creates Optimism

(I have also experienced this personality recently.)

We see this even in the people that believe in the end of the world for 2012.

They are stocking up, building protected homes, moving to higher ground, etc.  We also see this in individuals purchasing gold, listening to our potential candidates, and those of us creating new or multiple income opportunities for ourselves.

We are doing something ourselves to create our own optimism for our future.  Blind optimism, without planning, is not the best approach for a successful conclusion.

Are you Optimistic?  

Have You Made Your Own Plan for a Successful Future?

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Discovering A Career Plan For Today That IncorporatesYour Own Talents And Gifts 

May Require You To Ask Yourself Questions That You May Not Have Considered 

 I want to tell you about three special friends that I have known in my lifetime, that had unique abilities and interest that they could use to create other career opportunities for themselves.

My first story is about a friend of mine named Laura.  Laura was a real estate agent in Houston, TX.  She was from New Jersey and had a personality that made it easy for her to argue with others when she didn’t get her way or was not pleased with service or some product that she had purchased.  She loved doing that .  Many times, I saw her have food returned for being cold or complaining to the manager that the service was poor.  I found myself asking her to help me with some issues I had when I needed to return products to stores or was unhappy with the service I was receiving at a restaurant.  (I am a very non-confrontational person, and would rather walk away from an argument.  So, sometimes I may end up eating something I don’t like or keeping something that I purchased that had a small flaw.)

One night, she was really disgusted with her real estate job and we were discussing options for a different career for her.  As we talked, it became clear to us that her argumentative skills could be put to good use for people like me.  We even created a company name for her new venture.  (I won’t give you the name -that is better left to your imagination.)

I haven’t heard from her in a long time and don’t know if she is still doing real estate or if she started her company.  The point that is important here, is that because of her unique ability, she had something to offer that would be of service to others.  With some special tweaking, she could offer her services or even help people learn how to approach issues in a way that would give them success in dealing with problems they face in life.

There are so many individuals in my life that I go to for “special answers” because of their unique talents or knowledge.  These talents may not have anything to do with their current career choice  or they may be only a part of the knowledge or skills that they do use everyday in their job.

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Another close friend of mine is very interested in medical issues.  I know that if I ask her a question, it will trigger  a curiousness in her and she will even research to help me with the problem.  She is not a doctor, but I trust her answers.  I am not the only one that depends upon her for this type of advice, and we even call her our own personal Doctor nickname.   Her career path has nothing to do with her interest in medical issues, but does require her to gather accurate information, which she does very well.

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And one more example to give you is a friend of mine that is extremely interested in “dog training.”  She watches all the dog training shows and is constantly trying out new techniques on her own dogs.  I call her the “Dog Lady”.  Whenever, I am having a problem with one of my dogs, I call her and ask for suggestions.  Her current career path is owning an air conditioning/heating company.  Her goal is to start a dog training class for people like me.  She is a perfect example of a person that is ready to step outside her current career and create alternate or possibly multiple options based on what she enjoys.

So many of us are unaware of the value of what we give to those around us.

So, I have a challenge for you today.

Ask yourself these questions…………………?

• What do people ask you about that is outside of your current job responsibilities? (These answers should not be about your job, such as if you are a recruiter, and people ask you how to get a job or a mechanic and people ask you what is wrong with their car, etc.)
• What special skills, talents, or knowledge do you possess that makes them ask you specifically for help or ideas?
• Who else could be helped by what you know or can do?
• What opportunities could you create from these talents?

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I hope I have given you some “Food For Thought”. 

None of us are one dimensional individuals.   We possess talents and gifts to offer others.  Sometimes, it just takes a little time to realize how special we really are.

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