Choose Your Power Word(s) for 2020

Choose your words tiles

Welcome to 2020 and Happy New Year’s Eve! I hope have some plans to ring in the new year and that they include time with family and friends. How you end the year can determine how your year plays out. Starting with a good mindset is key to moving your forward and keeping the motivation high

As I’ve done in the past, it is time to choose a word to set the tone and direction for how I want my year to go; I have to admit that this year was a bit harder for some reason.

In the past, these are words I have had:

  • Determined – as opposed to intentions, I am determined to work on the goals I’ve set, both personally and professionally. Being determined is way more powerful than intending to do something so I want to send the ‘right’ message to my brain; this way, it will act on what I’ve chosen to focus on much more powerfully.
  •  Inspire – my mission is to inspire individuals to choose to be the best they can be; I see so many of my clients (and my students) who have no idea how awesome they are and that is why I want to bring their self-awareness into clarity so they can go after everything they want in their lives.
  • Believe – I’ve written on this before, which is the concept of self-efficacy; if you don’t truly believe that you can accomplish all that you say you want and desire then you have no chance of fully getting them done in the way you intended. Having full belief impels you taken action.

A few others include Carpe Diem and Do It Now! I actually have little whiteboard easels that I write on and have near my computer so I can be inspired while I work.

This year, as I mentioned, was a struggle but I’ve decided on the work ‘Emerge’ which, to me, means coming out from under any shadows I’ve hidden behind; this means doing videos (which scare me), starting a podcast, and upscaling my business.

Emerge means “to move of or away from something and come into view; to become apparent, important, or prominent” (Oxford Dictionary). I want to be all of those descriptions.

One other I would add is ‘Be a Disruptor,’ meaning to shake things up and do things differently. My desire is to reformulate how work is done  – moving away from the traditional ways and going more towards happier and higher performing workplaces. Considering engagement levels are still low, around 34% (Gallup, 2019), something needs to be done.

So those are my words for this year – now it’s time for you to set yours (if you haven’t done so). Doing this exercise will really ramp-up your motivation and effort so let’s get started!

Your Weekly Action Plan

If you haven’t, take time to sit and reflect on a word, several words, or a phrase that has deep meaning and that you would like to reflect how you live your days in this new year. Some examples include: “no excuses;’ ‘Carpe Diem (Seize the Day);” “Truth;” and “Monetize.” Once you determine your word(s) and direction write and post it where you can focus on it daily as a reminder. Keep focus on them by saying or writing them loudly every day – soon, you will have them embedded in your brain and they will become a positive habit you won’t have to think about. But your results will be extraordinary. In life, mindset matters. Be safe out there tonight!

If you need help gaining clarity on your business or career goals, or in developing your action plan, why not get some help – stop the struggle and call today to get started. I’d love to help you build the career and business of your dreams!

 

10 Job Search Resolutions to Set for 2020

10 Job Search Resolutions to Set for 2020

 

As we are ready to ring in the New Year, this is a time of renewed hope and planning for areas that we want to either improve upon or to alter in some way.  Perhaps it is to lose weight, run a marathon or take up skydiving.  Others may want to start a business or to get a promotion.

For a majority out there, it means becoming employed, which can include finding a job, changing jobs, or getting a promotion. Despite the unemployment rate being low, there is still a lag time in hiring with finding the ‘right’ candidate and competition for jobs.

Here are 10 career resolutions to make – but set them intentionally so you will keep at them and succeed:

  1. Set the intention – decide on finding a new job, keeping your current one, moving up the ladder or being a better employee
  2. Commit – make the commitment to the process, to doing the work, to finding the tools and resources you need to help you on the journey. Realize it can take a while to find the right job so stay the course
  3. Assess – write down your skills, talents, abilities, etc. and the type of organization you want to work in; it will help you to have a clearer idea on what you have to offer and where you want to make a difference
  4. Research – get on the internet for job boards, news briefings, etc. for information on who hires for the position you want and then research the company to determine their culture and the state of the industry; talk to people who work in those jobs or organizations to gather more information
  5. Set career goals – writing your specific goals will help you to get clearer, focused and motivated.  Write the type of job or position you want, the salary you want to earn with an end-date to accomplish
  6. Action Steps – develop those daily activities you will commit to that will get you to your goal.  Some examples include: spend 60 minutes on job boards, attend 2 networking meetings, set-up 3 informational interviews.  Having these specific and measurable will drive you to complete them
  7. Develop a job-search strategy – these are the daily job activities you will use to find your next job, and include: job boards, published positions, unpublished positions, networking, professional associations, alumni associations, friends/family, direct contacts, news events, recruiters/headhunters, chat sites, company websites,  trade journals, and social networking sites (LinkedIn, Facebook, Connections, etc.)
  8. Set up an activity log – this is your tracking system of how your time is spent in job-search mode and the results of these activities
  9. Self-care – looking for a job can take an emotional toll so be sure to schedule time on activities that will help you to keep your emotional level up, such as exercise, meditating, gardening, or reading industry-related professional journals or motivational books
  10. Develop a support system – find people who will support you during this time, such as family, friends, a career support group, or a career coach

With effort and a positive mindset, you can land that perfect job and start the new year off right.

 

If you’re ready to rev-up your success factor and make 2020 the best for you, or your team, call today for a free discovery/strategy session to learn how.

 

 

Make 2020 Your Year

Now that Christmas celebrations are behind us, it is now time to move forward as we head into this last week of the year.  No matter where you are in your career, either with or without a job, you can begin this year with a new outlook.

 

We hear from the world of positive psychology that our attitude can lead us to achieve bigger and better things in our life; it’s how we view our obstacles that give us the drive to work on reaching or overcoming them.

 

With that in mind, how do you want this year to look for your career? Now is the time to reflect on where your career is going: want a new job, to move into a higher role, or have you been out of work and want to return to the workforce  – this is a great time to plan and make a move.

 

If you are looking for a job:

review your activities from the past year for what daily action you took: how much time did you spend daily in the job search? how many contacts did you make and connect with? how many resumes did you send out?  how many follow-up calls did you make?

 

If you have been looking to change jobs, or want a promotion:

what job-search strategies have you been using? what type of position do you want and do you match the skill-set needed?  do you have a networking strategy, both in-person and via social media to connect with hiring managers? have you done research on your targeted organizations? is your resume current and speaks of your skills and outcomes?

 

With this new year can come a new outlook but you have to make the commitment to the process.  By reviewing what has not worked can help you to stop bad habits, or where you lost your momentum along the way, and will help you to keep achieving and will bring you closer to getting that dream job. Being committed to the process will help you make 2020 your year!

 

Your Action Plan

 

Take time to decide if you’re ready for your next best career; use the questions above to assess your readiness to begin to find and fall in love with the work you do. Even if you’re not ready yet to change jobs, doing these steps will get and keep you in ‘ready mode’ for when you are.

 

If you need help gaining clarity on your business or career goals, or in developing your action plan, why not get some help – stop the struggle and call today to get started. I’d love to help you build the career and business of your dreams!

 

 

 

 

 

Time for a Career Year-End Review

“To thine own self be true.” No truer words could be said on the journey to successful career management.  As we are ready to go into a new year, what better time to do a review of your career.

It all starts with self-assessment – truly knowing who you are and what you are capable of doing.  Without this insight and knowledge, you will spend your life ‘flying the by the seat of your pants’ and getting by.  I have seen people go from job to job and through different careers because they can’t find the meaning and happiness they are seeking, and they aren’t sure why.  I have talked with many people who have been in a career and not feel fulfilled, and they are not sure why.

I believe it is because they have not done a self-assessment to truly understand themselves and then see how the results  relates to their career.  Assessment involves knowing your strengths, weaknesses, skills abilities, interests, talents, and values.  It takes looking ‘hard’ at oneself in order to uncover the truths.  Doing so will help you identify career paths and goals.  It will also help you identify and understand what you want from both work, and non-work roles, and then get clearer on what skills and abilities you will bring to those roles.

Self-Assessment should consist of:
1, Values – these are abstract outcomes of what you want to attain or individual differences of what we want from work.  There are 6 values we all possess – theoretical, economic, aesthetic, religious, social, nd political.  If you value economics highly, you will not be happy in a job that does not pay well.
2. Interests  – these are the likes and dislikes we attach to specific activities or objects and are expressions of what we like to do. These can come from a variety of factors, such as family life, social class, culture, or the physical environment.  Choosing a career that is compatible with your interests will lead to higher levels of involvement and satisfaction.
3. Personality – these are the characteristics that distinguish you from others.  There are 5 personality factors: extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, and openness to new experiences.
4. Talents – these refer to aptitudes or capacities or developed skills and proficiencies you possess; also are reflective of what one can do if they received the proper training and development. These are vital to our career planning process as they can set constraints on our potential accomplishments and are necessary when making career decisions.

There are a variety of ways for self-assessment.  Sit down with paper and pen and list them.  If you are stuck, you can ask others – family or friends- what they see in you as it relates to the four assessment areas.  You can also take some tests, such s the MMPI, the Keirsey Temperament Sorter, the DISC, the Vocational Preference Inventory, or The Bliss Inventory.  These tests are designed to help you understand your personality style and how it would best fit in with a career path and how you will fit in with that culture.

Here are a 10 questions to include in your assessment; if you answer with ‘no,’ then this is an area to focus on in the coming year:

1. I know and follow ALL the rules established my organization.
2. When given a task or assignment, I regularly try to do MORE than is expected of me.
3. I a make a habit of volunteering for work. When I see things that need to be done, I do them without waiting for others to take the lead.
4. I’m a considerate coworker. I regularly clean up after myself and avoid behaviors that may disturb others or cause them additional work.
5. I remember my promises and commitments, and I KEEP them.
6. I treat everyone with the same level of dignity and respect that I want for myself and the people I care about
7. I value and appreciate people with ideas, backgrounds, and demographic characteristics that are different than mine.
8. I continually look for and create opportunities to learn new things and I avoid “I know all I need to know” thinking.
9. I keep my boss informed of things I’ve done, what I’m working on, and any problems I’m experiencing that negatively impact my work.
10. I look for and seize opportunities to help my coworkers be successful rather than just being in it for myself.

This assessment should be done throughout your lifetime.  Often, our interests and talents will change and we may become disillusioned by our current job.  In order to successfully manage a change, it is vital to know ourselves and why those changes occurred.  We may have grown in our thoughts and beliefs; understanding this growth will help n our preparation in the event that a career change is made, whether planned or unplanned.

A self-assessment will keep you focused on your career and staying the course to being in the right career and organization. Overall, you will have more job satisfaction and higher results for a lifetime of success.

Tips to Stress-Less During the Holidays

Tips to Stress-less During the Holidays

unsplash holiday image

Holiday time can be quite stressful, with shopping and baking and trying to find that “perfect” gift.  Add to this decorating the house, writing Christmas cards and either hosting or attending holiday parties. All while either working at your job or on your own business. The combination equals stress and anxiety that can take the spirit out of the season.  This holiday can be a little more stressful for some due to worry about money.

 

To top it off, trying to balance it all can lead to more worry and stress, whether you are aware or not. Those little voices in the background may be screaming “it’s not enough” or ‘what will people think’ or, yet, you won’t be able to get everything done – Christmas will be ruined.’ I’m sure you can identify and, perhaps, have even more of these types of thoughts.

 

If you find yourself struggling to stress-less this holiday season, here are some tips to help you survive and enjoy the season:

 

  1. Make a list of all the tasks you need to complete, such as Christmas card list, gift list, food, etc.  Have specific action steps and completion dates. Start by penciling in events on your calendar to help yourself manage your time effectively.

Having a schedule for how you will balance between your work activities and holiday activities will make your schedule less stressful, as you will know what to do and when. When you check-off completed tasks, you will more of a sense of accomplishment which will lesson any overwhelm you may be experiencing.

 

  1. Set a limit for spending and how you will pay for your purchases. Overspending will only add to your stress, as will maxing out your credit cards so you avoid the new year credit card blues. Consider opening a Christmas Club account with your bank or a credit union so you will have the cash next year.

 

  1. Look for deals- look on line and the circulars in the paper. Look for coupons and specials. Many stores have special deals, such as buy one, get one, etc. (be sure to look at the fine print). See what you can make, or have someone else (i.e. Etsy) – homemade gifts take time and effort and are more meaningful.

 

  1. Plan your destinations and times – it is less crowded during the day or evenings as opposed to the weekend. If possible, go late at night to stores that are either open 24 hours or have late evening hours.  You may find good deals then, as stores will be looking for sales at that hour. Set aside a couple of hours a week to do your baking, decorating or gift-wrapping.  You will get a lot accomplished.

 

  1. Take time to debrief – have a good meal, exercise, watch a holiday movie, take a walk, or practice deep breathing, anything to relieve your stress and get your energy up. Focus on what is meaningful to you.
  2. Learn to say no – know your boundaries; don’t overtax yourself too much.  Say no when you feel overly stressed or pressured into doing things you don’t want to do. You can only do so much – over-giving never leads to getting back so know your limits and honor them.

 

  1. Have fun by being with friends or family, listening to Christmas music or watching holiday movies.  Take a drive and look at the decorated houses or stores. Take time to truly enjoy the season which can give new meaning to it.

 

  1. Give back – there are many people who are in need and you can make a difference by either volunteering your time to a charity or making a donation. Remembering the spirit of the season can be the best stress-reliever of all. Giving to others take the focus off of your issues and ‘all those tasks’ won’t seem surmountable.

 

This year, I’m vowing to stress-less; I didn’t over-decorate, which makes me appreciate how my house looks and feels; I am not going to over-spend on gifts this year, as I’ve done in the past; and I’m having to remind myself daily that things will work out fine. Try these tips and see how they help you to truly enjoy the ‘reason for the season.’

 

 

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