Friday, May 6, 2011
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Job search is a marketing campaign. Market yourself effectively to employers via targeted search & materials. http://ping.fm/jV4Hu
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Ending one job and looking for or starting another? You're in transition. Read William Bridges' book Transitions. Buy @ http://myrightfitjob
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
You Don't Have to Try So Hard
A friend talked to me today about her "malaise" - not feeling like trying anymore. As she said, "Trying definitely is trying!"
It prompted me to remember when I stopped trying so very hard to achieve whatever.
I stopped when I got really sick of being disappointed over and over again. I also realized that perhaps I was missing serendipitous opportunities or experiences by being so focused on what I wanted to happen.
It's difficult to let go of striving, especially living in a world that talks about "set a goal!" "don't procrastinate!" and "you control your destiny and life through your thoughts!"
I have come to see that I do have some control over my thoughts insofar as how I choose to view the world. Do I see it as a giant taskmaster, demanding great effort from me every hour? Or do I see it as a benevolent source of abundance that I can tap into when I am open to possibility and practice acceptance? I now choose the latter. It just feels better, honestly. Not so stressful or competitive.
That doesn't mean I have given up on dreams and intentions. Au contraire! I have many intentions and dreams, toward which I work every day. I simply gave up the time line and the pressure that brings. And I gave up the idea that I know how "it" should all turn out, and that I will only get my desired outcome if I work diligently and in a certain way. I do the next thing I can, check to see if it's aligned with my intention, and bid "adieu" to those thoughts that start pressuring me to "do more."
I love that my friend allowed me to be reminded that I really don't have to try so hard.
It prompted me to remember when I stopped trying so very hard to achieve whatever.
I stopped when I got really sick of being disappointed over and over again. I also realized that perhaps I was missing serendipitous opportunities or experiences by being so focused on what I wanted to happen.
It's difficult to let go of striving, especially living in a world that talks about "set a goal!" "don't procrastinate!" and "you control your destiny and life through your thoughts!"
I have come to see that I do have some control over my thoughts insofar as how I choose to view the world. Do I see it as a giant taskmaster, demanding great effort from me every hour? Or do I see it as a benevolent source of abundance that I can tap into when I am open to possibility and practice acceptance? I now choose the latter. It just feels better, honestly. Not so stressful or competitive.
That doesn't mean I have given up on dreams and intentions. Au contraire! I have many intentions and dreams, toward which I work every day. I simply gave up the time line and the pressure that brings. And I gave up the idea that I know how "it" should all turn out, and that I will only get my desired outcome if I work diligently and in a certain way. I do the next thing I can, check to see if it's aligned with my intention, and bid "adieu" to those thoughts that start pressuring me to "do more."
I love that my friend allowed me to be reminded that I really don't have to try so hard.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Business-Building: Identify Your Market
Being happy in my work involves two main things: loving what I do, and loving the people I work with.
The second group I consider my market. So how can I simply and easily identify my market?
I start with these questions:
Who pops up in my brain when I think of who I want to work with? What kind of person do I resonate with? Who can I imagine spending time with? Who in my experience listens to me, values my opinions, asks me for advice and counsel?
That gives me such a great visual of who is in my market.
The second step is to write down all the descriptive words about these people: Their age and gender, financial situation and education level. Their concerns and hopes, their mindset and how they think, what they value and want out of life, the problems and challenges they face, the needs they have. The first part is "demographics" and the second is "psychographics."
Hopefully the people you describe are people with whom you will happily spend a lot of hours. If not, they are not your market.
Let go of any judgment. There are no "shoulds" in deciding your market. Either you resonate with these people or you don't. So surrender to what you already know and let yourself move to the next step of building a business - identifying those needs and challenges you want to meet with your product or service.
The second group I consider my market. So how can I simply and easily identify my market?
I start with these questions:
Who pops up in my brain when I think of who I want to work with? What kind of person do I resonate with? Who can I imagine spending time with? Who in my experience listens to me, values my opinions, asks me for advice and counsel?
That gives me such a great visual of who is in my market.
The second step is to write down all the descriptive words about these people: Their age and gender, financial situation and education level. Their concerns and hopes, their mindset and how they think, what they value and want out of life, the problems and challenges they face, the needs they have. The first part is "demographics" and the second is "psychographics."
Hopefully the people you describe are people with whom you will happily spend a lot of hours. If not, they are not your market.
Let go of any judgment. There are no "shoulds" in deciding your market. Either you resonate with these people or you don't. So surrender to what you already know and let yourself move to the next step of building a business - identifying those needs and challenges you want to meet with your product or service.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
When Overwhelmed, STOP!
Since Saturday, I've had a very bad flu. I'm not surprised that I got sick, when I look back at what my mind set was in the prior weeks.
I was feeling overwhelmed. Overwhelmed by good things - opportunities, good results, fun times, creative inspiration, friends. I've cultivated wonderful relationships and pursued great activities. And they are all coming up trumps! This is a good thing.
At the same time, however, I've had significant physical pain and a lot of physical tiredness. Yet, because I am so hungry for community and success and results, I have chosen to do things instead of staying home. There were times I could have said "no" and instead said "yes." I stopped listening to my body, my higher self.
Then I began to get thoughts like "I just want to sleep" and "I want more time to draw" and "No more phone calls!" And I began to fall into some very old habits - specifically not answering the telephone or returning phone calls.
Finally, I got the flu. And so for this entire week, I haven't had to show up for anyone or anything. My job is to heal and get well. My job is to avoid contact with others so I don't pass this on to others.
Getting sick is an old, old behavior for me. I get sick because it's a reasonable excuse or reason to be unavailable. It's a legitimate way to get time alone, time off, time with no responsibilities. It used to also be a way to get sympathy from others. That no longer works for me - people may feel sympathetic but I know that I did not have to get sick if I didn't want to get sick.
My awareness is so sharp now. What do I take away from this episode? There are a number of lessons:
1) When I get the thoughts of "help me escape!," I need to shed obligations. Specifically, I need some time where I am completely unscheduled.
2) I am able to do much less than I wish I were able to do. That is my 100%. My 100% is not what anyone else thinks it is. My job is to do my 100%, and to handle what I can handle.
3) There is no "right" time frame for me reaching my goals. I am on the path, and will get there. When I feel panicked or rushed, it is a sign that I am gauging my progress by other people's time frames, not my own.
My goal in life is to be happy, not to meet anyone else's goals or dreams for me. When I get caught up in someone else's agenda, I lose myself, lose touch with my own rhythm and needs, and create a dis-ease within me - that then manifests as an illness. I haven't been sick for a long time because I've paid attention to myself and keeping myself feeling at ease within myself. That went out the window over the summer, when I got so caught up in the excitement of new friendships and new possibilities. My brain got the better of my gut instinct, that voice that told me I was overwhelmed and needed to SLOW DOWN or STOP.
I dislike being sick because I can't do all that I want to do. I wish this week I could have drawn, or picked out paint for my bedroom, maybe cooked some new recipes, repotted plants and cleared out some of the magazine clutter in my dining room and sunroom. Because I was/am sick, I can't do any of those things. I got the peace and quiet at such a high price.
Next time, I'll take it easy before I become dis-eased. I know how to be happy; now it's time to put those lessons into effect.
I was feeling overwhelmed. Overwhelmed by good things - opportunities, good results, fun times, creative inspiration, friends. I've cultivated wonderful relationships and pursued great activities. And they are all coming up trumps! This is a good thing.
At the same time, however, I've had significant physical pain and a lot of physical tiredness. Yet, because I am so hungry for community and success and results, I have chosen to do things instead of staying home. There were times I could have said "no" and instead said "yes." I stopped listening to my body, my higher self.
Then I began to get thoughts like "I just want to sleep" and "I want more time to draw" and "No more phone calls!" And I began to fall into some very old habits - specifically not answering the telephone or returning phone calls.
Finally, I got the flu. And so for this entire week, I haven't had to show up for anyone or anything. My job is to heal and get well. My job is to avoid contact with others so I don't pass this on to others.
Getting sick is an old, old behavior for me. I get sick because it's a reasonable excuse or reason to be unavailable. It's a legitimate way to get time alone, time off, time with no responsibilities. It used to also be a way to get sympathy from others. That no longer works for me - people may feel sympathetic but I know that I did not have to get sick if I didn't want to get sick.
My awareness is so sharp now. What do I take away from this episode? There are a number of lessons:
1) When I get the thoughts of "help me escape!," I need to shed obligations. Specifically, I need some time where I am completely unscheduled.
2) I am able to do much less than I wish I were able to do. That is my 100%. My 100% is not what anyone else thinks it is. My job is to do my 100%, and to handle what I can handle.
3) There is no "right" time frame for me reaching my goals. I am on the path, and will get there. When I feel panicked or rushed, it is a sign that I am gauging my progress by other people's time frames, not my own.
My goal in life is to be happy, not to meet anyone else's goals or dreams for me. When I get caught up in someone else's agenda, I lose myself, lose touch with my own rhythm and needs, and create a dis-ease within me - that then manifests as an illness. I haven't been sick for a long time because I've paid attention to myself and keeping myself feeling at ease within myself. That went out the window over the summer, when I got so caught up in the excitement of new friendships and new possibilities. My brain got the better of my gut instinct, that voice that told me I was overwhelmed and needed to SLOW DOWN or STOP.
I dislike being sick because I can't do all that I want to do. I wish this week I could have drawn, or picked out paint for my bedroom, maybe cooked some new recipes, repotted plants and cleared out some of the magazine clutter in my dining room and sunroom. Because I was/am sick, I can't do any of those things. I got the peace and quiet at such a high price.
Next time, I'll take it easy before I become dis-eased. I know how to be happy; now it's time to put those lessons into effect.
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