Posts tagged ‘success’

A fascinating book has been springing up everywhere and it has me intrigued.

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, by Susan Cain, is the book and the provocative topic. It’s inspired me to write about the wonderful people we call introverts.

Contrary to popular belief, being an introvert does not simply mean being shy or quiet.

Introversion is better defined as being a person who gains energy from being alone, and whose energy is reduced through interaction with others.

For example, have you ever gone to a party, and after a while, felt like you were worn out from being around so many people for so long? Do you sometimes yearn to get away for some alone time, to “recharge your battery”? Do you dislike “small talk,” preferring instead long, deep conversations? If so, then you may fall somewhere on the introvert scale. You can take this quiz to find out.

So what does this have to do with business? The book goes into detail about how the current business environment in the U.S. values the qualities of extroverts over introverts. Extroverts enjoy socializing, they work well in teams, are more likely to speak up in meetings, and excel in networking. Sounds like a great employee, right?

However, as Cain writes in her book:

I worry that there are people who are put in positions of authority because they’re good talkers, but they don’t have good ideas. It’s so easy to confuse schmoozing ability with talent. Someone seems like a good presenter, easy to get along with, and those traits are rewarded. Well, why is that? They’re valuable traits, but we put too much of a premium on presenting and not enough on substance and critical thinking.

Introverts can feel like they are overlooked in the business world because they aren’t the person volunteering to be a group leader…or the person organizing the office happy hour…or the person always speaking up in meetings. But introverts have great qualities. They are often responsible, independent, studious, good listeners who appear calm and self-contained, they think before they speak, and have a strong ability to concentrate. Introverts have just as much to offer as extroverts!

There have been loads of introverted leaders throughout history. Abraham Lincoln, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Gerald Ford, John F. Kennedy, Barack Obama, Albert Einstein, Susan B. Anthony, Colin Powell, Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks, Mahatma Gandhi… just to name a few.

The point is, while extroverts are highly valued in the American workplace, introverts needn’t be ashamed of the way they are. We need both types of people in this world. So if you are an introvert, know that there is nothing wrong with you! Your traits are just as valid and important as those of your extroverted friends and co-workers. Take comfort in knowing that your introspective nature and tendency to think things through deeply is an asset to your business or company.

So tell me: Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

image credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/21326292@N00/221869824/

Many of us find goal setting to be a challenge.

We have so many things we want to achieve, so many things we dream about, but we often don’t know how to plan for our success.

We know it’s important to set goals, but, we don’t often do it.

Or, we do it but miss a critical element: making them measurable and time-bound.

Why?

Because without these elements, we can’t measure progress—in other words, we don’t know when we’ve achieved what we want to achieve. Goals need to be quantifiable for us to be able to chart our progress.

For example, if your goal is:

• “To be successful.” How do you measure success? Compared to what?
• “To make more money.” How much do you want to make?
• “To travel more.” How much more?
• “To be happier.” What makes you happy?

My point:  how will you know you’ve achieved your goal if you don’t define your measurement of success? If you can’t gauge accomplishment, you may find yourself endlessly reaching for a goal that keeps moving further from your grasp—and that’s definitely not what you want. Instead, set yourself up to succeed with realistic, specific goals that are time-bound and attainable!

Let’s try that again:

• Instead of a goal: “to be successful,” say, “I want to be promoted to Account Executive by the end of 2013.”
• Instead of a goal “to make more money,”say, “I want to earn X dollars per year.”
• Instead of a goal “to travel more,”say, “I’m going to take at one international trip every year.”
• Instead of a goal “to be happier,” say, “I want to visit my grandchildren at least three times per year” (or whatever you define that makes you happy).

The takeaway?

Take a look at your life and the direction you want it to take, and then set specific goals you can realistically achieve in a particular time frame. In the long run, doing so will lead to more goal-achievement and to a greater overall satisfaction with life.

 Want to know more about setting intrinsically motivating goals and getting the support you need to achieve them? Let’s talk!

Sometimes, the first step is the hardest one.

It’s so easy to procrastinate and keep putting things off, especially things you dream about for your life. But if you truly desire change, taking that first step is crucial.

It tells your brain that you ARE doing this. Whatever “this” is—changing your career, your health, your lifestyle. When you take that first tiny step, it’s no longer some distant, vague hope far away in the future. By taking steps to achieve it, you make your dream real—and harder to ignore.

Maybe that first step is buying a guidebook for a place you’ve always wanted to visit. Maybe it’s signing up for a class to explore a new field or hobby. Maybe it’s throwing out all the junk food in your cupboards to stop tempting yourself. Or maybe it’s just telling someone else about your plans to start your own business.

Your first step may be small, and it may require many, many more steps to follow in order to make your dream a reality, but it’s where we all begin and where change happens.

However long the journey, you can’t complete it until you start it.

So, what’s stopping you from taking your first step?

There will never be a “perfect” or “right” time to make a change. The best time is—you guessed it—right now.

What is one small step you can take today to move yourself towards your dream for your life? Tell me in the comment section below, I’d love to hear from you!

If you ask a room of adults to think about a coach or teacher who had a positive impact on their life as a child, you will find that most everyone has a vivid memory that still elicits emotion.

Remember that basketball coach that who didn’t cut you from the team because they saw potential? Or the music teacher who was always willing to patiently listen to problems? Or the soccer coach who was always respectful to opponents, win or lose?

Coaches and teachers have a huge impact on kids’ mental and social development. Children learn about confidence, respect, patience, sportsmanship, fairness, how to treat others, and so many other lessons that extend off of the field and out of the classroom—and into the rest of life. Coaches, in all forms, guide us to see the world and others in new ways.

Here’s the thing—the valuable guidance of coaches doesn’t have to stop at childhood! Working with a coach can enrich you life and help you to achieve your goals.  Every day in my coaching practice, I employ the skills of deep listening to understand my coaching clients and their challenges. I also provide accountability and support—attaining one’s goals is a team effort!

There are so many people in my life who have coached me when I needed career advice, motivation, and pep talks—and I still use coaches today! And, I am so fortunate and honored that for the last 10 years, I’ve been able to coach others in achieving their professional and personal goals.

I encourage you to find someone you admire and tell them so. Ask them how they got to be where they are today. You never know where the discussion might lead and how profoundly their answers may affect you!

 

P.S. If you are looking for additional coaching inspiration at your fingertips, consider joining my new Career Gold Club. I’ve personally collected and curated a group of my favorite experts to share their life secrets and provide value-rich, easily-accessible resources (videos, interviews, tips and tools) and coaching calls to help you to find ways to bring more joy and success into your life, personally and professionally. Learn more here.

Do you hate your job? You’re not the only one.

A Nielsen study found that fewer than half of American workers said they were satisfied with their jobs. Only 15% of workers said they were “very satisfied” with their job.

So what do you do when you’re one of the unhappy ones? How can you find a way to get something positive out of your job when you are counting the minutes until the end o the day? Here are five ways to make lemonade out of a lemon—a job lemon!

1. Build Connections. Even when you don’t like your work, there are likely some opportunities to build your network. Treat everyone you meet like a potential contact—you never know who can help you down the road. Several of my clients have found new jobs though someone they’d met at a previous employer!

2. Learn New Skills. Many corporations will pay for you to attend conferences, webinars, or certification courses. Taking advantage of these educational opportunities will not only stimulate your brain, but can give you credentials that may help you in another job or stage of life. Don’t be afraid to propose educational options you are interested in. Often, there is a way to make an authentic case for why attending that blogging conference you’ve been longing to go to will help you do your job.

3. Find a Mentor. Is there someone at your company that does work that you’d like to do? Or someone you find creative, innovative, or super-smart? Take the time to get to know them a little – offer to take them to lunch or out for a coffee, and find out how they got to their present role and what their day-to-day is like. Knowing how they did it can help motivate you to achieve your dreams, too.

4. Polish That Resume. I’m sure you’ve heard it before: it’s easier to look for a job when you are already employed. Not only do you look more attractive to prospective employers, there is less stress involved in finding a new job when you are already getting a paycheck. This gives you time to create thoughtful cover letters and applications, build connections, and put out your feelers to really hunt for the perfect position that feels like a true career step.

5. Use your Skills with a New Project. Is there something you wish you could do at your job, but it isn’t in your job description? Here’s a story: a colleague’s friend is an administrative assistant, just a few years out of college. She had some ideas on how to better promote her organization’s community events—but as an admin, marketing wasn’t in her job description. When she finally told her boss her ideas, he told her to “run with it.” She now spends part of her week marketing their events and really enjoys it. So my question to you is:  What project can you take on that might add excitement and stimulation to your day?

An undesirable job doesn’t have to be a dead end—instead, think of it as a means to an end.

This job is part of your path to finding the career or job of your dreams. By persevering, staying positive, and getting support, you can find ways to take steps—even baby steps—toward your desired outcomes and ideal life.

original image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/h-k-d/2576372736/

I am excited to announce an upcoming teleseminar with one of the most visionary thinkers about the way we work today.

On February 27^th at 12:15 Pacific, join me for a chat with award-winning author, leader, and speaker Pam Slim, where we will discuss the topic:

Test Often and Fail Fast: The Art of Rapid Deployment to Quickstart Your Business.

This is a rare opportunity to chat with Pam in a teleseminar where you can ask questions and listen to her words of wisdom that will inspire you to start or move your business forward with actionable, realistic steps.

Ask yourself: How often do you get a great idea to create a new project, or write a book, or start a new business venture, but never do anything about it? Most people have a big problem translating a big idea into feasible, actionable and most importantly, tiny steps. In this interview, Pamela Slim will teach you how to get a jump-start on bringing your big ideas to life by testing often and failing fast, creating rapid prototypes and surrounding yourself with strong peer mentors.

This teleseminar is open to all, at no charge, but you must register as we have limited spaces available. There will be a recording of the session available to those who signed up and to members of Career Gold Club.

This interview with Pam is an example of the types of leaders and innovators that we feature in Career Gold Club, a comprehensive resource for busy professionals seeking success in their careers and joy in their lives. To learn more about how to join and the benefits of Club membership, check out the Career Gold Club site.

If you want to learn how to move beyond the stumbling blocks that keep you stalled in idea mode to a place of taking action, then you won’t want to miss this teleseminar with Pam Slim.

Don’t miss the opportunity to get a jump-start on bringing your ideas to life with Pam Slim. Follow this link to sign up for the teleseminar now!

About Pamela Slim

Pamela Slim is an award-winning author, speaker and leader in the new world of work. She spent the first 10 years of her solo practice as a consultant to large corporations such as Hewlett-Packard, Charles Schwab and Cisco Systems, where she worked with thousands of employees, managers and executives. In 2005, she started the Escape from Cubicle Nation blog, which is one of the top career and business sites on the web. She has coached thousands of budding entrepreneurs, in businesses ranging from martial art studios to software start-ups.

Pam is frequently quoted as a business expert in press such as The New York Times,The Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Information Week, Money Magazine and Psychology Today. She is a proud suburban mom in Mesa, AZ , who enjoys the look on people’s faces when she tells them she is also a brown belt in Mixed Martial Arts (it comes in handy when fighting for the last good bunch of kale at the grocery store).

At long last, I am excited to announce that my redesigned and absolutely gorgeous new Career Gold Club is making its public debut today!

This project has been a true labor of love. My team and I have worked for countless hours over the last several months to ensure that Career Gold Club delivers on its promise to be one of the finest spots on the web for resources, tools, and inspiring interviews with industry experts designed to help you transition from your current job to a career you’ll love.

Career Gold Club is not just for those looking to change jobs. It’s for people looking to go further in their current field, mid-life career-changers, budding and established entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and nonprofit professionals.

The Club offers many resources to support your life outside of your work, too, because I believe that reaching your goals professionally goes hand-in-hand with living a balanced life that you love. Career Gold Club is here to support your efforts through webinars and live Q & A sessions with notable experts (and yours truly) that are exclusive to Club members.

I created Career Gold Club (CGC) a complement to my coaching practice. Over the years, shared issues would come up for my clients and I wanted to offer them, and anyone else who has experienced frustration, solutions to their difficulties around career and lifestyle.

I have found that people are feeling lost and not able to make decisions, that they are overcome with the idea of needing to pick the one or right thing and that there are too many options or they have a lack of confidence in making the best choices for their livelihood and life.

Indeed it can be difficult to make decisions without an advocate, someone who is willing to illuminate the path for you. And, while I’m struck by how many great resources there are to draw from as we create our next chapter, I too, can be overwhelmed by the overload of information without a filter.

With Career Gold Club, I’m doing some of the initial legwork for you. I have connected with my vetted colleagues and professionals whom I admire, people who are cutting their own path, being true to themselves, and using their voice to share their message. By personally curating these intimate conversations, I’m giving you a big head start for your own journey.

This week I had the privilege of interviewing someone I truly admire, a thought-leader in the career field, Jason Alba, CEO of JibberJobber.com. We had a fascinating conversation about how to structure your job search so that it feels effective and efficient. So many people feel overwhelmed and undernourished by the job search process. I was pleased that Jason and I were able to come up with some great ideas and mindset strategies for finding strength, power and personal resilience in a rigorous, organized and effective job search process. This is just one of the exclusive interviews available to you as a member of Career Gold Club.

My main goal, with CGC, as with all my offerings, is to help others find more joy and success in their lives. At $197 per year (I have a payment plan, too), Career Gold Club is affordable to anyone who wants to make this year their year!

So, if you want to be inspired all year long with access to great materials like the above interview and other value-rich, easily-accessible resources (videos, interviews, worksheets, and more), please consider joining Career Gold Club. Membership in Career Gold Club opens today, Monday, January 14th.

If you have any questions about Career Gold Club, or you are interested in becoming an affiliate, please don’t hesitate to ask.

I would love to hear your comments, please share.

P.S. If you’ve been considering doing some coaching with me this New Year, please note that I’m offering a special Gold Plus membership option which gives you year-long access to the Club PLUS a Power Coaching session with me for just $297.  Go here to learn more and sign up today.

Have you ever looked at the way someone else lives and felt green with envy?
 

You know, wanting what they have in their life, professionally or personally, or both?
 

Face it, we all have.
 

We’re naturally drawn to what we are looking for in our lives, and when we find it in someone else, it’s normal to covet it.
 

Whether it’s someone’s:
 

• Career that seems effortless—and it’s one they love
• Marriage or primary relationship where they share so many interests and finish each other’s sentences
• Physical body that is fit and beautiful from exquisite personal care

 
This desire can serve to inspire us, to want to make us strive for what we really want in our lives.
 

Or, it can be destructive and deceptive.
 

Why?
 

Because we are looking at someone’s outsides and comparing it to our insides.
 

I spend a lot of time working in LinkedIn, helping my clients optimize how they position themselves to get what they want professionally.
 
AND, I’m always surprised by the opportunity people miss to bring their best foot forward on that system: their photo.
 
Many people either don’t want to put a photo up at all, or else they put one up that isn’t doing them any favors.
 
If you don’t have a photo on LinkedIn, you might as well not have a profile at all.
 
When people view a profile and there is no photo, it appears that the person is not fully committed, not energetically available, and not trustworthy….it can give the impression that the person is hiding something.
 
If you DO have a photo, but it does not show your sparkle, it is working against you.
 
What do I mean by “sparkle”?…
 

I’ve got a bone to pick today.
 
I’m so sick of people saying that they can’t have what they want because of:

• the state of the economy
• Having chosen the wrong career, life partner etc.
• having taken the wrong job
• having children (or not having children)
• (insert other reason here)

Now, I’m not ignoring that things are tough out there these days. I know that all kinds of suffering is going on…financial and otherwise.
 
AND, if you have been considering making a change in your life but have been hesitating because of one reason or another, I want to give you a kick in the pants.
 
You may be asking: How does Legally Blonde fit into this?…