Should you compare yourself to others when making important decisions?

“I would start a blog about weight loss, but other people know more about it than me.”

“I would create a walking tour of my city, but other people are already doing them.”

“I would start my own business, but I know people who’ve failed at it.”

Each of these scenarios has been shared with me by real clients. At first, these arguments seem pretty rational, don’t they? I mean, if you can’t be the best, the first, or a sure success – why would you attempt it in the first place?

Is it possible that doing something that’s important to you is about more than being the best, first, or a sure success?

Here’s what I think:

1)  Making the leap into something you really want to do may actually be about the adventure of taking the leap.  What kinds of things might you learn about yourself – even if you “fail”?

2)  You are your own person – with your own experiences, perceptions and unique point of view.  How someone else does something is not the same way you would do it.  Perhaps you are equally, or maybe even better, equipped than the next gal.

3)  Maybe your idea has already been done, but maybe your version of the idea provides a different experience for people.  Perhaps you would appeal to a whole different audience than the other folks in the same game.

Comparing yourself to others is a slippery slope to never acting on your dreams because you’re afraid of something that may or may not be real.

Should you compare yourself to others when making important decisions?

You tell me! Please comment below…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Image courtesy of Suvro Datta/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Filed under: Career, Dreams, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Should you be able to make 6-figures only working 4 hours a week?

This is a surprising hot-button for a lot of people I meet.

Several years ago, Tim Ferriss wrote a book called, The 4-Hour Workweek. His premise is that if we only did what only we can do and off-loaded the rest of the work to others more qualified, we could work about 4 hours a week and be more financially successful. The reason for doing this?  So that you can live a more balanced life. There’s more to life than just working…right?

I’ve met people who are so put-off by the concept of only working 4 hours a week that they can’t even finish the book!

Why?  I have a few ideas…

1)  The Puritan (or Protestant) Work Ethic.  According to Wikipedia this is “a concept in theology…which emphasizes hard work, frugality and prosperity as a display of a person’s salvation in the Christian faith.”  In other words, if you work hard you are more likely one of those chosen to go to heaven.

2) Things are only worthwhile if you’ve worked hard.  Many folks believe that the only things worth having are things that you’ve worked hard to get.

3) It’s too good to be true.  And we all know that if something seems too good to be true…

If it’s not too good to be true, why don’t we see more examples of people living this way?  Well, have you ever stopped to imagine yourself taking this approach? Hmmmm…..

Should you be able to make 6-figures only working 4 hours a week?

You tell me!  Please comment below…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Image courtesy of Sheila Mohan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Filed under: Give Your Gift, Handling Fears, Ideas, Interviewing, Nirvana, Uncategorized, Working, Workshops | 8 Comments »

Should you turn your hobby into a career?

I get asked this a lot. Usually it’s because my client is worried that they will get sick of their hobby and it won’t be fun anymore.

While this could be true, I think there’s usually more going on than this:

1) When you begin trying to make money from your hobby, you have to make a lot of decisions that are based on what your potential customers or clients are looking for. Sometimes this doesn’t fit with your creative vision. So you might feel like you have to compromise – and that’s rarely fun. But, depending on how you define success, you may or may not be better off compromising.

2) Perhaps you’ve always viewed your hobby as a way to escape the “real” world. If you turn your hobby into your career, how will you escape? Something to consider is that when you are really enjoying what you’re doing all day – you may no longer feel the need to escape.

3) Perhaps you’re afraid of either success or failure. The fear of success is having to live up to your potential. The fear of failure is never getting the chance to live up to your potential. Again, what matters most is how you’re defining success. If you are solely using money as your benchmark, you’re missing the opportunity to allow yourself the chance to grow, take an important adventure, do something that most people only dream about.

Should you turn your hobby into a career?

You tell me! Please comment below…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Filed under: Uncategorized | 6 Comments »

My guess is that you’re reading this post because something is off with your work-life.

It may be just a tad off or you may be light years from where you thought you’d be. No matter what — you’re unhappy and know you need to make a change, but you aren’t sure how to go about doing it or even what direction to take.

At the same time, you’re questioning whether it’s wise, given today’s unstable economy, to contemplate making a career move. All you have to do is check the online news sources (formerly known as reading the paper) and you can gather all the evidence you need that the world of work is a pretty nasty place, especially for…

…People who are new graduates with no work experience…and people who are no longer in their 20s…and people who are returning to the workforce after an absence…and people who are no longer in their 30s…and people who are being laid off…and people who are no longer in their 40s…and people who are being forced to retire before they want to…and people who are no longer in their 50s…

Hang on! Let’s catch our breath.

Yes, it’s a competitive career market. And no, you may not have the kind of resume that compels employers to roll out the red carpet and woo you into their corporate inner sanctum.

But the bottom-line remains the same: you’re unhappy. And you simply can’t continue on in the same way.

Why? Because something is warning you that what you’ve been doing is no longer working (if it ever really was.)

The old approach to making a career choice is about:

• Doing whatever it takes to make the most money
• Following trends – the fields that are expected to grow
• Following in someone’s footsteps
• Doing what someone else thinks is best for you
• Taking any job that pays the bills
• Picking a job that allows you to use your talent or your education, or fits in with family commitments, but doesn’t consider anything else that is important to you

Can you spot what’s missing from this list? Any mention of fulfillment, meaning or contribution.

If you’re just not feeling your work anymore, chances are good that it’s missing one or more of these three things.

(Excerpted from my upcoming book Plant Yourself Where You Will Bloom)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pointing the way:

Image courtesy of [image creator name] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Filed under: Uncategorized | No Comments »

For most people, grammar is not something to think about as more than an abstract concept, something we’re vaguely aware of but don’t really pay attention to.  But what many people take for granted is how important are the sneaky little rules and idiosyncrasies inherent in the structure of our everyday language.

I know you’re just dying to revisit those fond memories of doing spelling and grammar exercises in grade school, but I am going to keep it brief this morning and briefly remind you of a most basic and fundamental element of speech: the definite vs. indefinite article.

We use “definite” to mean sure, certain. “Definite” is particular (ie, “the”).

We use “indefinite” to mean not sure, not certain. “Indefinite” is general (ie, “a”).

Isn’t grammar fun?!

Okay, stop rolling your eyes. Grammar rules aside, these articles are really important to you.  They could mean the difference between your “blah” life, and the life you have always dreamed of living! From an excerpt from my book, here’s why:

Making “A” Difference Vs. Making “The” Difference

I meet with a lot of people who are exploring their next career moves.  The one thing I hear more often than not is, “I just want to make a difference!”

I do think most people are really sincere when they say this, but I have to wonder if it’s actually the truth!  Because everything you do makes a difference.  If you drop a pebble in a puddle, you will see ripples – you’re making a difference in that puddle.  But there’s an important distinction between making “A” difference and making “THE” difference you want to make.

For example, let’s say you’re a talented baker who loves serving people chocolate treats.  If you bake a batch of brownies and take them into the office, thereby knocking three co-workers off their diet –instead of appreciating you, they might end up resenting you!  That’s making “A” difference.

If, however, you bake a batch of brownies that you then sell in your very own bakery – and everyone who walks through the door is there because your delicious brownies make them happy…  then you’ve made “the” difference you want to make.

Where would our world be if Ghandi, Mother Theresa, or Martin Luther King hadn’t made THE difference they set out to make?

And where will the world be if you don’t?

I hope you’re sold on the importance of discovering your perfect work.

The world needs your gift – let’s give it!

Filed under: Uncategorized | No Comments »

I woke up in a slight panic at 3 am this morning.

The questions running through my head were, “Has this down economy scared everyone so much that they’re abandoning their dream of doing meaningful work? Are we witnessing the slow death of meaningful work?”

I know that seems alarmist (as do most thoughts at 3 am!)  - but I’m worried about this.

A large percentage of people that I talk to (and believe me, I talk to A LOT of people about their career) tell me that although the traditional job search is yielding few, if any, results — they’re not ready to try a different approach.  Sometimes I hear that they think they should just be grateful to have any kind of a job at all. That it’s too risky to pursue work that’s a perfect fit to their talents, interests, values, and the difference they want to make in the world.

Yikes!  Here’s the truth:  I work one-on-one with about 60 people a year (you know who you are and you know how much I love you!)  These folks are determined to go for the gusto – to find the work that fits them like a glove and that will be personally and financially meaningful.  After they launch into their new careers, they tell me that they are happier than they’ve ever been.  That their relationships are stronger.  That they love Mondays.  That they’re making more money. That they’re pursuing long-lost hobbies once again.  That they’re better mothers and fathers.

I’ve recorded their stories, and will be sharing them with you in the upcoming weeks.  Believe me, you will be inspired!

Oh, and please, please, please ask yourself this one question:  Am I a part of the death of meaningful work, or am I on team “going for the gusto!”

Image courtesy of [image creator name] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Filed under: Career, Dreams, Give Your Gift, Handling Fears, Standing Out, Success, Talent, Values, Working | No Comments »

When you think about giving away money, do you automatically think of charitable organizations?

In “The Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity,” the first of the four laws is to Tithe. This means you return 10% of all that you receive to a person, place, or institution from which you have received “spiritual food.” The author says this is an act of faith and courage that expands your vision of yourself and the possibilities of your life. Because of this act of faith, you will reap far more than you have sown.

Keep in mind that this is the first 10% you give and can be in addition to the money that you donate to your church or any charitable organization.

It’s fascinating to think about where your spiritual food is coming from. Who or what inspires you? Who reminds you that there’s something more to this life than your day to day activities and experiences? What makes you feel whole, grateful and expansive?

When you send out your 10% you send it expectation-free. Simply give the money and be thankful for the spiritual food.

Who will you give to this week?

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Image: dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Filed under: Money, Success | No Comments »

Remember when you were first learning to drive and the driver’s ed movie talked about taking in “The Big Picture?” It taught us to scan the whole world around us so that we wouldn’t miss anything (and potentially get in an accident.)

When you’re driving, the last thing you want to wear is blinders. When you can only stare ahead, you miss everything off to the sides and even the stuff behind you!

Same goes for the world of work.

Would it surprise you to know that you’re probably aware of less than 20% of the career options in this great big world? It’s pretty likely.

Every term, I teach a career search class and share a list of the best 100 companies to work for in Oregon. The students are always amazed to realize that they’ve only heard of about 20 of the companies. And these are the BEST one hundred companies in Oregon!

Suffice it to say, there’s a great big world of work out there. And with all the rapid changes in technology (read: internet) the world of work is growing exponentially.

Never has there been a better time to discover or invent the perfect work for yourself. All it takes is a bit of awareness about what’s new and exciting out there and then a good dose of creativity and imagination to see how to leverage this information.

(This is an excerpt from my new book “Fire Your Resume…and Ignite Your Career!”  I’m accepting pre-orders right now. Due to be published in early October.  You can order here: http://careerepiphany.com/hire-jen/book/)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Image: M – Pics / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Filed under: Career | No Comments »

I teach a class that is designed to inform students of the latest employment trends and the up and coming small and large companies in Portland, OR.

Each term, I dutifully bring pages of data culled from various web sites that cite the latest employment news.

A funny thing happens about 1/3 of the way into the class.  The students begin to realize that they have no interest in, or affinity with, the growing industries.

Hallelujah!

I like to visualize my students instantly breaking free from the throngs of career-seekers who bet their future happiness on something as arbitrary as a need for more health-care workers to provide services to the aging baby-boomer population.

Because whenever enough people flock to a particular profession, the market becomes flooded with qualified applicants and suddenly the hot new career is now a bust.

And it’s back to the drawing board, which looks a lot like another unwanted career change.

It’s far better to do the inner-work of discovering your perfect career sooner, rather than later!

(This is an excerpt from my new book “Fire Your Resume…and Ignite Your Career!”  I’m accepting pre-orders right now. Due to be published in early October.  You can order here: http://careerepiphany.com/hire-jen/book/)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Image: renjith krishnan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Filed under: Uncategorized | No Comments »

Have you ever been reading a book and suddenly realized that although your eyes have been moving the whole time, you haven’t really read any of the last two pages?  Somehow your brain went on reading “automatic pilot.”  If you care about what you’re reading, you’ll usually go back and re-read the section.

I’ve been told that if a human being is reviewing your resume, the same thing happens — they tend to only read the material in the first and last thirds of the resume.  The rest of the resume is viewed on automatic pilot – with little or no comprehension.

They act as if they’ve read the whole resume, though.  And then they move on to the next one.

Clearly this is not a great scenario for the hopeful job seeker.

(This is an excerpt from my new book “Fire Your Resume…and Ignite Your Career!”  I’m accepting pre-orders right now. Due to be published in early October.  You can order here: http://careerepiphany.com/hire-jen/book/

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Image: Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Filed under: Career, Uncategorized | No Comments »