• It may not have been fair, just or your fault, but don’t “go off” on your employer.

• Your experiencing a wide range of emotions – it’s a grieving process so give yourself time to do that. It may take a day, a week, a month.

• Give yourself a certain amount of time to decompress. Even if its just a day or two (though preferably longer) make it YOUR time to do nothing, do something fun, be with your family, etc…

• Make a list of ALL the things you are thankful for in your life. Sometimes during a traumatic event we have a tendency to forget these.

• Reach out for your friends and family – let them support you. Isolation is NOT what you need right now.

• Resist any temptation to jump right in to looking for your next job. Again, give yourself (even just a little) time.

• When you are ready, have a symbolic “moving on” ceremony. It could be a dinner, a day at the spa, a vacation, a day of golf, a conference you have been excited to attend or enrollment in a certification or MBA program. Whatever it is, big or small – it will help I promise! (2-years ago my “moving on ceremony” was a dinner with my husband, complete with a big cake, candlelight and  a notepad and pen. We had so much fun brainstorming on all of our goals for the next 12 months and it really helped us to get focused!)

• Be brave. It will be okay.

• If the TV is overflowing with negative news, turn it off. Every month millions of professionals are hired. It just doesn’t make the news. Surround yourself with positive reinforcements.

• Many people have been fired or laid off in their careers – many highly paid and otherwise successful people! Don’t get down on yourself or start interviewing if you feel unusually sad or bitter (this tends to come out in interviews). Look for a support group, a coaching group, a mastermind group, a church group or any group where you can get positive support which helps to keep the negative thoughts at bay.

By the way I am not talking about a group of people to commiserate with – steer clear of those people right now! This will help you more than you know. I speak from personal experience and as someone who is “not a joiner” Just take a deep breath and do it for yourself. I promise you will be glad you did!     

Got any tips to share? If you have ever been fired or laid off, what helped you get through it? Please feel free to add your comments! 

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Another great article by By Valerie Young, President of Changing Course. Want Creative Ways to Make a Living Without A Job? Check out Valeries site here

I hear from a lot of people at various junctures along the road to right livelihood. Some are at the very beginning, still trying to figure out which path is right for them. Others have happily reached their destination. Others are midway on their journey.

Regardless of where you are in the process, there are five keys to changing course:

1. Set Big… and Small Goals

I know it sounds cliché, and especially at the start of the New Year, but if you’re really serious about taking control of your life, you need to set some goals for yourself. Knowing that you want to change your life or work for yourself is a great start. But expressing a desire is different from stating a goal.

In her Broadway show Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe, Lily Tomlin’s bag lady character remarks, “I always wanted to be somebody. I realize now I should have been more specific.” Deciding you want to earn money by making and selling gift baskets is much more specific than saying you want to make money doing something creative. But even here you need to get more precise.

One of the best ways to move a goal along is to quantify it. Using our gift basket example, the key questions are how much money do you want to make and by when. You can always shoot higher, but for now let’s think in terms of generating $5,000 in gift basket sales. From here you’d want to make your goal both real and reachable by breaking it down into smaller more manageable goals, like, for example, making and selling six gift baskets in 60 days. Actually writing the date on your calendar will make it even more real.

2. Figure Out What It Will Take to Reach Your Goal and Start Doing It

A long-time subscriber named Joe understands the importance of looking to others for inspiration. He also understands how important it is to hear not just about people that have followed their dream and made it happen, but also about, he says, “those currently traveling the pathway to a new career, setting goals for themselves, managing to keep their dream alive and staying focused on the goal of a new career.”

And setting and working toward a goal is exactly what this 33 year old software engineer from Maryland is doing. But I’ll let Joe tell you about his plans – and progress – in his own words:

“A year and a half ago I started reading a lot of real estate investing books. I wanted to get into the medical field as a Physical Therapist and needed a way to supplement my income. I took classes and soaked up all of the real estate knowledge I could get.”

“I worked with advisors until I landed my first deal. It was a rehab house, and after I repaired it I made $28,000 profit for an endeavor I spent five months on part-time. I was thrilled. I took this money and used it to help purchase a rental property and another rehab which I am now selling.”

“I set goals for myself. My big goal is a career change at five years. Presently I have four years left. I plan on generating enough income to cover all of my expenses. I also have smaller goals. At the two year mark I plan to make $1,000 net cash flow per month. At three years I plan to make $2,000 net cash flow per month. This will allow me to pursue Physical Therapy without worrying about money! I have volunteered in two hospitals and determined that this is where I belong.”

“This is my journey. It’s hard to wake up every morning and go to my current job. However I now see an end in sight. I know that in a few years I will be enjoying helping people every day. And when that day comes, it will be a dream come true.”

Some of you are probably saying, “Five years! I can’t wait that long.” You don’t have to. Joe’s goal is very specific – to generate enough money from real estate to be able to fully support him during his schooling. Depending on your goals, your financial situation, your level of commitment, and the amount of time you’re willing to invest, you can certainly change course in far less time.

Whether you want to be living your new life in five years or in five months, the point is to set a goal, quantify it, and then, one day at a time, take the small action steps required to make your goal happen.

3. Live Life Now

Shooting for a future goal is great. But I received a deeply moving email that reminded me of the importance of also remembering to live life fully in the moment. A woman named Pam wrote to thank me for inspiring her partner Bruce, a man I never met but who I apparently encouraged to live his dream. Pam has generously allowed me to share her and Bruce’s story with you.

Before he was killed instantly in a traffic accident, Bruce was living his dream. Bruce had been a computer consultant who, explained Pam, tired of the cubicle life. “Although he made a boatload of money doing it, he realized that there was more out there to do. He always wanted to do something purposeful with his life, and didn’t see that the programs he wrote made much of an impact.”

Pam went on to say that she and Bruce lived together for two very wonderful years, “living our dream. We both left the corporate grind, had opened our own business as massage therapists. Bruce was a wonderful man. He had healed so much in his life and many times said, ‘If I’m to be the kind of spiritual man I wish to be, then I need to work on this.’ He was making a difference in people’s lives on a daily basis. I’m so very grateful for every moment that we shared. We were blessed to have many friends. And I plan to continue our dream.”

Although I never had the privilege of meeting Bruce, he sounds like a truly remarkable human being and one who will be missed by many. How wonderful that while he was among us Bruce was living his dream. Pam’s strength, her gratitude in the face of unspeakable grief and her resolve to continue to live their dream is inspiring indeed.

When we think about goals, we tend to think about achieving some future result. And yet as John Lennon once observed, “Life is what’s happening when you’re making other plans.” Bruce’s story serves as an important reminder that even while you strive to reach your future goals, you must live life now and with as few regrets as possible.

4. Break a Rule

Sometimes changing course can begin with the simple act of shaking up your normal routine. Take Barbara, a former coworker of mine from my corporate days. Most people spend their Saturday mornings in a frenzy of house cleaning and errands. Barbara does this stuff too but not until after she’s indulged herself by crawling back into bed with a cup of coffee and popping in a suspense movie.

Spending your Saturday morning watching a movie may not be your cup of tea, but surely there is some small fun thing you can do to shake things up. If you tend to read self-help books try a romance novel. Walk your dog in a totally new place or drive a different way to work. Visit your local historic society or museum. On the first day of each month have ice cream for breakfast. Go to the movies on a weeknight. Experiencing small changes can make the bigger ones seem more doable.

5. Use the One Step a Day Approach

When I was desperately trying to get myself out of corporate America, I promised myself that I would not go to bed at night until I had taken at least one small step toward my goal. It doesn’t have to be a big step.

For example, I knew that at least in the short term, leaving my job-job would mean I’d be earning less money. So one day I brainstormed a list of ways to supplement my income. I have a finished basement with a bath so one idea was rent it out to a commuting grad student who needed a place to stay during the week. The next day I stopped by the hardware store to see what I could find out about sound proof ceiling tiles. The following day I looked up the Web site for the housing office at the local college, and so on.

Not only do small steps add up, but just as important is the sense of momentum you’ll gain. And once you get started on a dream, it’s hard to stop!

“The big break for me,” said Jon Stewart of the Daily Show, “was deciding that this is my life.” Another year is upon us. Since this is indeed your life, let this be the year you start making your dreams happen.

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Another excellent article by the Automatic Business Coach, Sandy Martini. I am making my list right now………

Click here to learn more about Sandy
MEB

 
Every year millions of us diligently work on our New Year’s Goals or Resolutions, determined that this year will be *THE* year, somehow different from all the rest which preceded it.

 
We labor over writing the goals, create Vision Boards, and start the year bright-eyed and bushy-tailed (like children on Christmas morning when they see a tree loaded with presents).

 
And yet within a week, maybe two or three, reality sets in. We’re the same people we were before midnight on January 1st and, likely have the same habits. . .good and bad.

 
So how do we create results and not simply resolutions?

 
The answer is simple. . .treat the New Year as you would any large project and break it down into manageable pieces.

 
Let’s see what that looks like:

 
1. Choose one of your annual goals and break it down into 4 quarterly (90 day) goals.

 
2. Take the first quarter (January – March) and break that down into monthly goals — what do you need to achieve each MONTH to reach your first quarterly (March 31st) goal?

 
3. Take the first month (January) and break that down into weekly goals — what do you need to achieve each WEEK to reach your monthly (January 31st) goal?

 
4. Take the first week (January 4 – 10) and break that down into daily ACTIONS — what should you do each day which will allow you to reach your weekly (January 10th) goal?

 
5. And what needs to happen for you to get your daily actions DONE?

Do you limit your email/Twitter/IM time? Do you tell your best friend you have work to do? Do you get up an hour earlier or work an hour later? Do you invest in a mentor who can save you hours of learning time? Figure out what you need to do. . .and then do it!
Simple, right?

 
It is until you take a look at ALL your New Year’s Goals and realize you’d have to work 15 hours a day and be on a treadmill eating carrot sticks while chatting with your friends and family the remaining 9 hours in order to reach every goal you set.
The above exercise does two things for you:

 
1. It gives you the power to create real results. . .in a way which keep you focused and allows you to see progress throughout the year and

 
2. It forces you to “get real” about how much you can achieve and where you may want to pull in outside resources to speed up your learning curve, outsource work, etc.

So, what’s next?

You have a choice.

You can take this ezine and move it to your “I’ll get to it later” folder, you can delete it, or you can use it to change your 2009 forever.

Copyright 2009 Sandra P. Martini. The Automatic Business Coach & Mentor. Get Sandra Martini’s FREE “5 Simple Steps to Putting Your Marketing on Autopilot” e-course/audio mini-workshop and her FREE small business success how-to tips at www.SandraMartini.com.

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I am posting this fantastic article from the latest Changing Course Newsletter – more excellent advice from the “Dreamer In Residence” expert, Valerie Young. Learn more about her company here

 - MEB

That was the question someone asked in a recent survey of Changing Course readers. It was the second time in as many months that someone who was getting ready to start a small business talked about being “terrified” of failing. In neither case were we talking about anyone putting their home up as collateral or sinking their life savings into a venture. In fact, the stakes were relatively low. And all too often this sense of terror at the prospect of failing can be paralyzing.

Every entrepreneur experiences failures on the way to success. I am certainly no exception. While I was still in my corporate job, I decided to produce a line of humorous greeting cards on the side. I spent months drawing each card, surveying my friends to see which ones people liked best, and then invested a couple of thousand of dollars getting them printed. They sold pretty well in small gift stores in San Francisco, Boston, New York, Hartford, Connecticut, and Provincetown, Massachusetts. But about a year into it, I realized that it was the wrong business for me.

Did I spend more money than I made? Yes. But I never felt like a failure. To the contrary, I felt proud of myself for giving it my best shot. I learned a ton about the greeting card business which I’ve been able to share with others considering that same path, and I moved on to my next venture with a much clearer picture of what I was looking for in a livelihood.

No one sets out to fail and certainly no one likes it when they do. But terror? There are things worthy of being terrified about like global warming or a car bomb going off in your neighborhood. Giving something your best shot and finding out that it didn’t work, well, I call that “life.”

If you really want to change course to work for yourself, then you absolutely must readjust your emotional response to failure. This means embracing some fundamental truths about failure that have guided successful people since the first caveman’s spear missed that first wooly mammoth and he picked it up to try again.

To get you started, here are six rules about failure, mistake-making and risk-taking that every entrepreneur needs to understand:

Rule 1: You’ll strike out more often then not.

In baseball a .333 batting average is considered outstanding. If you’re not a baseball fan, what this means is that for every 10 pitches, the batter only has to hit the ball three times to be considered exceptional. Even the legendary Babe Ruth “only” batted .342. The point is, you can be at the top of your game and still strike out more often than not. No one bats 1000, so stop expecting yourself to be the exception.

Rule 2: Failures offer valuable lessons – and opportunities.

Believe it or not, there is lots of good news about failure. Henry Ford understood that, “Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.” In engineering, the process of “failure analysis” is based on the recognition that you can learn just as much from studying what went wrong as you can from what went right. It is this understanding that led Thomas Edison to famously remark, “I have not failed. I have successfully discovered 1,200 ideas that don’t work.”

Instead of seeing your flops as evidence of your incompetence, think of them as information you can use to do better next time. Do you need to develop or hone a certain skill? Do you need more practice or a different approach? Do you need to delegate the things you’re not gifted at? What will you do differently next time? What lessons can you glean? The sooner you grasp the learning value following what feels like a setback, the better. The key is to fail forward.

Rule 3: Failure is just a curve in the road.

I know how easy it is to be so discouraged by setbacks that you just give up. But it’s time you start seeing failure for what it is, a curve in the road and not the end of the road. Did you know that Walt Disney was fired from a newspaper job for “lacking ideas”? Or that H. Macy’s store failed seven times before it caught on? Or that Michael Jordan was cut from his junior varsity basketball team? Did they give up? No.

If Abraham Lincoln had taken failure as cause to quit, it would have changed the course of history. In fact he suffered repeated failures on the road to success. After failing as a storekeeper and a farmer, Lincoln decided to run for political office. He failed. Once he finally did get elected to the legislature, he sought the office of speaker and failed. He failed in his first bid for Congress. He failed when he sought the appointment to the United States Land Office. And he failed when he ran for the United States Senate. Despite repeated public failures, Lincoln never saw failure as a reason to give up.

Rule 4: Not taking risks may be the riskiest move of all.

So much of changing course comes down to being able to shift your thinking about what “risk” really means. It worked for Janice Bennett. Whenever people begin with “What if…” right before saying “…it doesn’t work?” Janice would always finish their question with, “…what if it does?” “Now,” says Janice, “is the time for me to [ask myself] not only what could happen to me if I didn’t make the change, but what could happen to me if I DO? Wow, those possibilities are endless. As morbid as it may sound, at my funeral, I want it to be full, to be standing room only, to be overflowing, to know that I made a difference in people’s lives, and I touched them somehow.”

Just two weeks after Janice shared her big “aha” at the Changing Course Blog, she took her own advice. She took the plunge and signed up for the Outside of the Job Box Career Expert and Small Business Success Idea Consultant Course. I have no doubt that in the process of realizing “endless possibilities” for herself, that Janice’s ability to turn fear into excitement will indeed make a difference in the lives of everyone she touches.

Whenever you try anything new there will always the risk of failure. At the same time, not taking risks is often the riskiest move of all. The reason Michael Jordon says he made so many baskets is because he was willing to take so many shots, explaining, “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

Rule 5: It’s not your failures that count, but how you handle them.

Imagine making a major mistake with 1 billion people watching. That’s what Miss USA Crystle Stewart did when she fell during the 2008 Miss Universe pageant. She handled the fiasco by putting on a radiant smile, picking herself up and clapping her hands over her head as if to say, “Let’s have a round of applause.” This was not the first time Stewart had to pick herself up after a failure. It had taken her five tries before being crowned Miss Texas. As you think about launching that entrepreneurial dream, remind yourself that it’s not your failures that count, but how you handle them.

Rule 6: Choose what kind of failures you want to have.

In his commencement address at Macalister College, radio show host and author Garrison Keillor encouraged his audience to “have interesting failures.” Let those words sink in for a moment. Have interesting failures. Not only do you have a choice about how you handle failure, you also have a huge say in what kind of failures to have.

From time to time you’re going to miss the mark. So why just be a failure at parallel parking or balancing your checkbook when you can come in third at the National Jigsaw Puzzle Championships, only write one children’s book, or make it only half way up Mount Everest? The fact that you never fail is proof of only one thing – you never tried.

Every day you get to choose settling over reaching, inaction over action, continuing to live your life the way it is over the life you could have. It really is your choice. As Billie Jean King once said, “Be bold. If you’re going to make an error, make a doozey, and don’t be afraid to hit the ball.”

Rule 7: Make your fear work for you.

It’s one thing to quietly promise yourself that you’re going to push past your fears and finally act on those long buried dreams. It’s quite another thing to announce to the world your intention to write your first chapter, hold your own seminar, figure out how to sell your jewelry, learn a new craft, or whatever it is you’ve been “terrified” of doing. It’s quite another to announce it to the world.

Yet making a public commitment is one of the best ways to ensure that you’ll actually follow through, because now you’ve built in that all important accountability. After all, suddenly other people are watching and waiting. Sure the naysayers are watching and waiting for any setback so they can say, “I told you so.” But if you make a point to tell the “right” people I guarantee they’ll be cheering you on. And guess what? When other people see you taking steps, they’ll be inspired to act too.

That’s because action is contagious! Which is why I’m asking all of the members of the Changing Course Club to add their goals to a “Changing Course in 2009 Pledge list.” It’s a new section of the Club Forum where members get to stand up and publicly state their goal and one action they’ll take to get there and the date they pledge to take that action. And, if they choose, Club Members can sign up to be in a small Tele-Study Group or Dream Team to help one another stay on track. (Not a member? Learn more at ChangingCourse.com/changingcourseclub.htm)

With the New Year comes the opportunity to start anew… to make new choices. Which will you choose – fear or action?

Add Your Two Cents

About the Author

“Turning Interests Into Income” expert, Valerie Young, abandoned her corporate cubicle to become the Dreamer in Residence at ChangingCourse.com offering resources to help you discover your life mission and live it. Her career change tips have been cited in Kiplinger’s, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today Weekend, Woman’s Day, and elsewhere and on-line at MSN, CareerBuilder, and iVillage.com. An expert on the Impostor Syndrome, Valerie has spoken on the topic of How to Feel as Bright and Capable as Everyone Seems to Think You Are to such diverse organizations as Daimler Chrysler, Bristol-Meyers Squibb, Harvard, and American Women in Radio and Television.

To read more articles about how to work at what you love without a job go here.

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Small Business Coach Sandy Martini has a GREAT blog post here which details her list of things she is “letting go of” in 2009. She “warns” her list isn’t for the faint of heart. Here are the highlights:

• Vendors who don’t meet the terms of our agreement (they’ve been fired)
• Clients who want everything and yet implement nothing (yes, I’ve let a few go)
• Biz owners who fail to recognize the importance of building relationships and being authentic (we can tell when you’re being inauthentic, REALLY!)
• Companies who don’t know the meaning of customer service or who retain employees who don’t believe in it (I’m boycotting)
• Negative Nellies (I wish them well and would gleefully welcome them back into my life if they could display some optimism)
• Voicemail messages with no contact info, no real message (just “call me”) and no good time to return the call (do everyone a favor, leave a detailed message with your phone or email so we can actually get back to you)
• Ditto incoming faxes with no return contact info (DUH!)
• Sales letters which promise the world and don’t even deliver a county (we’re back to being authentic)
• “No shows” who schedule a call and don’t call or reschedule (this one shows absolutely no respect for the person being called)

I love Sandy’s list. I have a similar one. The longer I am in business for myself the more I learn that there is no one to BLAME but myself because I am the Captain of this ship – in charge and fully responsible of all the rules, boundaries and relationships.

And speaking from experieince what and who I “let in” does get to me, for better or for worse. So I opt for “the better” so my clients always get me at my best.

So, what are you letting go of for 2009?

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I love my assistant. She is incredibly sweet, supportive, intelligent, organized and experienced in all the technical areas that I know nothing about. I enjoy talking with her, reading her emails, I trust her and just working with her in general is an enjoyable experience.

This was one of my goals when I first knew I needed to hire an assistant – I wanted our working relationship to be easy, fun and productive. Being a sensitive person, I knew myself well enough to know that any other type of relationship in my “inner circle” would sap my energy and creativity. I remember in our interview I clearly communicated this to her.

So how does this relate to hiring a career coach or resume writer? Simply to demonstrate that knowing your expectations and the way you like to work will hlep you determine the most harmonious partnership.

Here are several tips to help you choose the best resume writer and/or career coach for you:

Understand why a good fit is important
This is the person who is going to help market you, draw out your greatest strengths, guide you towards your ideal industry and position and possibly much more. You are putting a large part of your career success in their hands. You should like them and trust them. You need to have a good connection with this individual so they can help you.

Make sure they have ample experience
I am sure there are lots of great resume writers out there who are either new to the industry and/or not certified. However you are probably going to have better success overall by choosing a writer who has a good amount of experience (the more senior the executive the more experience you want your resume writer to have – working of course at your level).

Make sure they are certified
You also will benefit from the peace of mind of knowing they are certified. Career Directors International and Career Masters Institute are my favorites. Their credentials are tough to obtain (a good thing), require renewal and these two associations are really good about keeping their members up on the latest trends and techniques.

What is their style?
You want to really make sure that you gel with their style. Are they super-business like and detail oriented, or more friendly and informal?
How does that fit with your style?

With my site for example – you can tell right away I convey a highly personal, friendly and caring approach. I was very careful to design my site to communicate this to my clients and potential clients. Why? Because I want to attract and help professions who are drawn to my personal style.

Do you resonate with them?
Here is a quick and easy way to discern whether you resonate with your resume writer/career coach or not:

Look at their website…do you like how it looks, are you drawn to and do you relate to the content? Are you excited about the products and the services? Chances are if they know how to market themselves that’s a great sign they will know how to market you!

Talk to them…does the conversation flow smoothly? Are they asking you a lot of questions in order to better understand your situation?

If the call was an appointment were they on time? Have they returned your emails promptly? Do you feel that they understand your situation and have offered at least a general overview of what they can do to help you? Do you feel excited or drained and overwhelmed at the conversations end?

If you get a funny feeling or sense it’s not going to be a fit then quickly move on! It doesn’t necessarily mean that the resume writer/career coach is a bad one, but it could mean they are just not a good fit for you.

A word about money
I truly believe you should hire the very best you can afford. These professionals are paid to draw out and market your key skills and abilities and pull you forward in terms of everything career success means to you.

This is an investment in yourself – a serious one that helps you achieve wonderful results. Baring a few exceptions this isn’t the time to go bargain basement shopping.

By keeping these simple points in mind you can move forward with your resume writer/career coach of choice with excitement and confidence!

You will be amazed at how your “partner” and “coach” will help you in more ways then you may have imagined during your job search. Having someone you like, trust and enjoy working with – walking with you step by step towards your goals will ease the burden, increase your confidence and motivation and quicken your path to success.

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I have heard this question repeatedly in the last 60 days. Certainly there is a valid reason for my clients asking it – after all, there are mass layoffs going on every day and the news is gloomy at best. Hope for the future is what most are hanging their hat on and that message is loud and clear: every body…FREEZE!

Are there any benefits to holding your breath to see “what happens next?” I don’t know. I think people who are high achievers usually bulk at this mentality and I think it sends the general wrong message.

Here are several things I do know:

• Companies are still growing.
• Companies still have problems that YOU can solve.
• Millions of jobs are still being advertised every day…..you just don’t hear about them on the news.
• If your competition isn’t up to bat it’s a good time for you to be.
• Millions of people have landed wonderful job opportunities in “bad” job markets before.
• Learning the strategies to penetrate jobs that are not advertised lead to more interviews and bigger offers.
• A resume that sends the right marketing message will get you interviews – especially in times when companies really have urgent needs.
• History is heavy laden with scores of successful people rose out of adverse conditions and situations to achieve great things.
• Some of the best opportunities are developed in the worst of times.

I could go on, fortunately.

Now not all of us are optimists. I happen to be one, as you might already know from reading my posts. I like to concentrate on the positive.

There are those out there though who would call themselves “critical thinkers” wanting to poke holes in my approach. Or maybe you have been fired or laid off – and these points only serve to fuel your anger and frustration.

Well, the facts are that the above statements ARE facts, that looking through the lens of critical analysis is dangerously limiting to your job search success and that anger and frustration over a layoff or letting go is normal in ANY job market and needs to be overcome regardless.

We all must take responsibility for how we process and what we do with the information we allow into our hearts and minds.

So why not look for your next best position right now? Why not decide today that the media is not going to control the way you think and feel. Why not turn off the TV and simply stay focused on the markets that are growing and the plan and strategy that is going to work best for you right now? There really isn’t ever a perfectly “right time” to do anything. I picked the worst time to start up my business – financially, family wise, etc… but my window of opportunity was there so I took it. Risk and all and I never looked back.

A friend of mine who coaches C-Level executives through career transitions recently shared with me that most of his clients were holding off until the New Year to take action. That is, except for one. And that one client, he said, was experiencing amazing results and landing multiple interviews.

The choice is yours.

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Dave was an attorney with a big law firm. His dream was to move into a corporate counsel role with a big corporation. When he first hired me to write his resume he spent a lot of time telling me about how underappreciated he was at his current firm.

When we would brainstorm ideas on how he could transition into his chosen industry he constantly repeated that he “already tried that.” In fact, Dave spent a lot of time shooting down most ideas I knew would help him tremendously.

When we talked about job search strategies he shared with me he didn’t have any time. “Surely you understand,” he would say.” I am an attorney and I work incredibly long hours. Plus I have a family.”

When we discussed his salary goals he said he had to make at least 30% more than what he currently made to “justify the move.”

When I asked him why he had been fired from his last position he said that he and one of the partners could not get along. He refused to elaborate.

Despite the building complexities Dave was creating for himself, he maintained he wanted to be in a new position in less that 60 days. When I attempted share with Dave that it appeared that he was neither ready nor willing to do what it would take to move forward – he simply ignored my comments.

Dave never did make his corporate counsel move. He took a job with another firm…. A job that a recruiter had called to pitch him over the phone. It was the first and only opportunity Dave ever explored.

The story above illustrates how brilliant professionals can undermine their own career progress through not taking responsibility for their job search goals.

And then there was Brian.

Brian hired me as a career coach during a major transition in his life. He drove all the way from Houston to San Antonio to meet with me in person and discuss his situation.

He was a SVP for a mid size company in Houston and he was really ready for a CMO position with a large firm. He had done his research and picked two industries he was interested in exploring further.

He knew he had one chance to make a great first impression and he wanted to do it right. He wanted help researching particular companies, identifying what job search strategies would give him the most leverage and he wanted to make sure his resume was written to best position him for a CMO title.

I will always remember how positive Brian was. He always seemed to see the glass as half full. He took responsibility for his ultimate success and he stayed focused on the strategies I showed him to get quality interviews. He knew the power of a team approach.

Brian was busy and had a family too, but he made his career transition a priority during that window of time.

He landed several high quality interviews and accepted an offer from a company he was truly excited about – at the compensation level that met his goals. It didn’t happen overnight but it did happen within four months of our working together.

One of his goals was to work out of his home one day per week. With the coaching I gave him he successfully negotiated this into his compensation package.

Brian invested in himself and in his career move because as he put it, he knew that “for every $100 he put in he would get $1000 back.”

Brian was willing to listen. That was not true for Dave.

Being “successful” has so much to do with one’s mindset. And coupled with an industry expert’s guidance, moving forward happens much more quickly and easily.

So if you want to get yourself and your job search “unstuck” it’s a wise move to first make sure you are committed to doing what it takes to reach your goals before you hire a career coach or resume writer. However once you are certain about your commitment to your own success, these partnerships can make getting there faster and easier, and your confidence, clarity and motivation will soar.

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This article from ChangingCourse.com was just too good not to post. The step-by-step advice Brian provides for branching out on your own is spot on. Enjoy!

-meb

By Brian Kurth

The realization you’re in the wrong career does not hit like a lightening bolt. Rather, it festers within you for a long time, slowly worming its way into your consciousness, until one day you realize you’ve known it all along. For years, I sat in a ninety-minute-each-way commute in Chicago rush hour traffic to/from my telecom job in product management. I dreaded every Monday. It never occurred to me I could start over. It never occurred to me I might be an entrepreneur at heart, and I could create my own destiny. However, after the dot-com bubble burst left me on my own, the thought of another position in my field was finally too much to bear. I left my career and my horrible commute behind, and embarked on a new journey filled with questions, uncertainty… and elation.

It’s romantic to think the heavens will offer up a sign letting you know when the time is right to unleash your entrepreneurial spirit and start your dream business. Unfortunately, reality often doesn’t work that way. Launching a business is risky, and those risks can easily overwhelm your senses and weaken your confidence. The fear of failure pervades your psyche, and when the safety and security of your family is on the line, happiness seems like a selfish luxury you can’t afford to indulge.

Many people live their entire lives this way. For others, their work frustration grows a little every day until they realize their need for happiness is suddenly greater than the fear that comes with making that change. Once fear can be overcome – or at least overwhelmed – that’s when great things can happen.

However, merely conquering your fears is not nearly enough to ensure success in starting your own business. You might have all the desire and motivation in the world, but there are still many steps that need to be taken, and many questions that need to be answered. So once the desire outweighs the fear… then what?

1. Start Researching

Starting a new business demands acquiring a vast amount of information that literally no one can figure out entirely on his or her own. Luckily, our modern world is packed with resources and assistance for dedicated and passionate entrepreneurs. If you’re willing to take the time, you’ll find the facts you need.

The Internet – As recently as ten years ago, compiling information on a given topic would mean an exhaustive process of scouring books in a library and talking to strangers on the phone. Luckily for entrepreneurs, the Internet has blown it all wide open. It is the entrepreneur’s best friend.

The business you are considering might be new to you, but it’s important to realize that it’s not for others. Get on the Internet and find everything you possibly can on your newly chosen field. Read it all, take notes, and write down questions that arise. Any piece of information you can get is one tiny step closer to being ready for your big change. But don’t get stuck in online analysis paralysis. At some point, it’s time to take the next step toward becoming an entrepreneur.

A Mentor – There are people who work in your dream business who are willing to help you on your journey. You may need to find them in another city and may even have to sign off on a non-compete clause to get their advice, but they’re there for you. Find several people who work in your newly chosen field, and initiate discussions with them. Tell them you admire what they do, and ask if you could learn from them as you look to make a career change. When someone agrees to be a mentor, schedule a visit to their workplace where you can observe the process in action, take copious notes on all you see and hear, and ask a ton of questions. When starting a new business, there are absolutely no better lessons than those taught from someone within the field. They’ll tell you everything you want to know, plus much more you need to know.

2. Raise Money

One of the reasons why people so often fail to leave unpleasant work situations is the money; they simply earn too much in the job they hate, and fear a dream business of their own wouldn’t provide the same level of security. This is a legitimate fear, but there are things that can be done to mitigate the risk until the income matches the level of happiness and desired lifestyle.

Save Up – Change doesn’t have to happen all at once. Merely planning for the switch can improve the situation in the short term. Put money aside out of every paycheck so you’ll have a nest egg for when you finally decide to take the plunge.

Find Outside Funding – No matter how much money you’re able to save, it might not be enough to get a business off the ground. Luckily, there are other avenues for raising the needed capital. Look into finding government grants, private investors, or even bank loans to help you get started.

Set Some Limits – No matter how strongly you believe in your new business and your ability to make it work, you don’t want to throw all your eggs into that basket. Be careful about putting up your personal assets as collateral. Keep some of your assets – be it your home, your pension, your 401K, etc. – off the table. Don’t invest your entire net worth into your business. In the event that something goes wrong, it will be a HUGE comfort to know some of your assets are protected.

3. Get to Work

Once the research is done and the money is raised, it’s time to get to work. New businesses take an extraordinary amount of time and effort if they’re going to make it. Don’t be afraid of the hours, and don’t shy away from the commitment. Remember: eighty hours in a job you love is still FAR more rewarding than forty in one you hate.

There will, of course, be obstacles along the way, but with enough passion, dedication and foresight, anything can be overcome. Keep reminding yourself you deserve to be happy, and your dream business is ultimately worth the time and effort it takes to get there. And once you do, you’ll never dread a Monday again… and as I like to say, everyday is a Friday!

About the Author

Brian Kurth, a former “Dilbert,” worked for the phone company in Chicago. After realizing there was more to life than telecom calling plans, he founded VocationVacations (ChangingCourse.com/recommends/vocationvacations). He is the author of “Test-Drive Your Dream Job – A Step-By-Step Guide to Finding and Creating the Work You Love” (Hachette, 2008) and is a sought-after speaker on how to pursue and attain one’s dream job and lifestyle. He has shared his wit and wisdom in appearances on NBC’s TODAY Show, CNN, MSNBC, CNBC and FOX News, and has been featured in articles in O, The Oprah Magazine, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Fortune Magazine and many more. Kurth co-executive produced “This Job’s A Trip” for the Travel Channel in 2006. A native of Madison, Wisconsin, Kurth lives in Portland, Oregon.

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I hosted a free teleseminar last night and would like to offer my readers here a chance to listen!

Here are just a few highlights of what I covered:

• The THREE Top Recession Proof Markets
• The BEST months of the year to look for a job
• What STATE had more jobs in the last 12 months than any other state
• The 3 BEST strategies for landing a great job right now
• WHY relying solely on job boards will leave you frustrated with little results…even if you are a star candidate
• A very special offer only for participants on the call…hint: here is your coupon code: BRIGHT VIP

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