Dumb Little Man | Tips for Life

It’s a pretty good bet that you want to succeed in life – whether that’s at work, in your relationships, with your hobbies, or in any other domain.

But how will you know when you get there?

Have you thought about what success really means to you?

It might seem like a silly question. Perhaps you think success is obvious … it means making a good salary, being healthy, and having a happy family life.

But what exactly is a “good salary”? Depending on where you live in the world, and depending on what sort of lifestyle you want, a “good salary” could mean almost anything. What I consider to be “good” might seem like peanuts – or wild extravagance – to you.

Unless you’re clear on exactly what a “good salary” means to you, it’s going to be hard for you to be satisfied. And the same goes for other areas, like your health and your family life. Sure, you can’t put a figure on those – but you can write down a detailed description of what success will look like in those areas.

Don’t Just Follow the Crowd
Society and the media tend to portray a shallow, one-dimensional idea of success. It looks something like this: a fast car, a big house, expensive vacations, fancy food and pricy wine, a beautiful partner, flawless skin…

Is that really what your own version of success looks like? Personally, I’ve got no interest in fast cars, and one of my favorite vacation activities is to go walking in the countryside with my husband – hardly expensive. You might feel the same: perhaps you’d much rather be healthy and strong than have flawless skin, or you’re really a beer-and-chips kinda guy/gal, and you don’t even like pricy wine.

Don’t let peer pressure or the media warp your vision of success. Decide what you want from life, and go after that. Stay true to your values and your dreams.

Define Success Step by Step
Thinking about success in the context of your whole life can be pretty overwhelming. Instead, you might want to break it down a bit.

• What would a successful year look like? (What projects do you want to complete? What experiences do you want to have?)
• How will you know when you’ve succeeded with a specific project? What’s your goal? Make it measureable, if possible.
• Where in your life have you already been successful, by your own standards? How can you build on that success, little by little?

Even if you’ve already set yourself some goals, you might want to take another look at them, and come up with a definition of success. Let’s say you’ve set a goal of “write a book” in the next two years. That could mean:

• Write the first draft of a book
• Complete a book to publishable standard
• Get the book published
• Self-publish the book

At what stage can you say you’ve successfully completed your goal? There’s no right answer here: you need to decide for yourself.

Keep a Success Journal
Perhaps, to you, success isn’t about making lots of money or living in a big house. It might simply be about enjoying life more.

That’s obviously a tough thing to measure. What you can do, though, is keep a record of how you’re feeling at different times. For instance, you might write in a journal once or twice a week and note how happy you are, paying particular attention to anything you’ve done that’s helped.

When you regularly reflect on how you’re getting on, you’ll see your life from a broader perspective. This helps you make changes – if you need to – or encourages you to stick with what’s going well. And as time goes by, you can flick back in your journal to see how far you’ve come.

So, what might success look like in your life, or in a particular project that you’ve got on the go? Take a few minutes to think about that today – and share your thoughts with us in the comments.

Written on 6/18/2012 by Ali Luke. Ali is a writer of fiction and non-fiction and a writing coach. She blogs about writing on her site, Aliventures.com, and has a free ebook "How to Find Time For Your Writing" available when you join her writing newsletter here.

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We all have competition in life. This could be the competitors trying to steal business away from the company you work for or the guy who really irritates you at work who just happens to be going after the same senior promotions as you are. It could also be those folks on the opposing bowling or softball teams you play against each week.

Most of us are introduced to the concept of competition early in life during gym class at grade school. Some of us even had competition at home in the form of nasty siblings. Then there was your competition trying to get the attention of your favorite guy or girl at the high school dance.

Competition even came in the form of thousands of unknown faces you never saw when everyone was trying to get into the same college as you. Then these same unknown faces might have been all stacked up in the giant piles of resumes for that first big job after graduation. But the biggest competition in life may not be who you think it is and I’ll get more into this in a bit.

Competition Intimidation
Many of us are intimidated by our competition. That was the case when I first started martial arts competition back in 1985. Each time I saw some of the top competitors show up at a karate tournament, I had that sinking feeling. I almost felt like it was futile to even compete when these guys showed up.

That’s when one of my instructors told me that if I let my competition intimidate me, then I’m already defeated even before the actual tournament officially starts. And he was right. I already gave up before stepping into the ring. No wonder why I did so poorly in the first year or two on the tournament circuit.

I decided to stop letting these top competitors intimidate me. Instead, I chose to observe them to learn from them. I also stopped comparing myself to them. I only compared myself to my own past performances.

Biggest Lesson From The World Champion Arena
My martial arts competition career eventually spanned well over twenty years. In hundreds of tournaments, I’ve placed first in my divisions many times but I’ve also placed dead last quite a few times too as well as everything in between. I’ve managed to win World Championship titles fifteen separate times and had the honor of representing the Canadian National Team a few years too.

The peculiar thing is that throughout all these years in the competition ring, in order to win big, I had to lose first. That’s because it’s when I lost and didn’t come in first place, that’s when I learned the most. This is when I went home and really analyzed what I could have done better. Once I identified that, I modified my training to work on areas that needed improvement and this made me become a better martial arts competitor.

You Are Your Own Biggest Competition
So the biggest lesson I learned from all of my years in martial arts competition is that the biggest competition was not the other guys. Instead, it was myself. When I took the focus off the other competitors and concentrated more on how I could do better each time compared to how I did at past tournaments, I improved.

In time, this steady progress without the distraction of competition intimidation enabled me to eventually perform at the World Champion level. It didn’t really matter if I came in first place or last. If I did better than before, then I was still a winner in my mind.

So realize that in any area of your life that you want to excel in, especially those that have competition, don’t worry about the others. This applies to anything from your career, business, all the way down to the sports or games that you play.

You are your own biggest competition. Just focus on becoming better than you were before on a continuous basis and in time, you will become a champion.

Written on 8/12/2011 by Clint Cora. Clint is a motivational speaker, author and Karate World Champion. See his free 3-part Personal Development Video Series on how to expand your comfort zone to conquer even your most daunting goals in life.

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Whether or not you’re looking for a job right now, it’s worth making sure your resume is in good shape. You never know when that dream opportunity might come up – and if your current job isn’t looking so secure, you might to be ready to send out applications at short notice.

In a crowded job market, your resume needs to stand out. If it’s currently looking a bit thin, here’s how to improve it:

1. Do Some Relevant Voluntary Work
   You probably don’t have a perfect work history: perhaps you’ve worked in less-than-ideal jobs, or you’re young and have very little work experience at all. Employers aren’t just interested in your paid work; they’re looking for evidence of your skills.
   Volunteering can be a fantastic way to:
   
   
   
   • Gain real, practical experience in a particular field
     
   • Build up a network of contacts (who might be able to help you land that next job)
     
   • Demonstrate to employers that you’re passionate about this kind of work
     
   
   You may well already have some relevant voluntary experience: but is it on your resume? Think about any groups you belong to, or any positions that you hold. Perhaps you’ve led a Scout pack or you’ve arranged day trips for your church.
   


2. Take a New Qualification
   Although employers are often more interested in your experience than your education, there are many jobs where qualifications really do count. Even if you’re currently working full-time, don’t rule out the possibility of learning something new – evening classes and online courses can provide a lot of flexibility.
   
   Qualifications can range from relatively informal courses (e.g. learning a language) to industry certification (e.g. food hygiene) to doctoral degrees. Find out what employers in your field are looking for – don’t be afraid to ask around within your network.
   
   And if you’re self-employed, qualifications might not be strictly necessary – but they can help you stand out from the crowd. If you’re a freelance writer, programmer or designer, clients might struggle to understand why your rates are higher (even if you can tell that your work is much better than your competition’s). A relevant qualification or certificate can really boost your credibility.
   


3. Focus on Results
   When you’re putting your resume together, don’t get too bogged down in giving details of your past job descriptions. Potential employers are more interested in what you actually did during your previous roles.
   
   What projects did you oversee? Did you deliver any presentations or write reports? Were you responsible for managing any major areas of the business?
   
   Be as clear as you can about what you achieved, and give percentages or figures where possible (e.g. if you increased your company’s revenue or exceeded sales targets).


4. Customize Your Resume for Each Job
   There’s no rule that says your resume needs to stay the same for every position you apply for
   
   Tailor your resume to each job. That might mean:
   
   • Adding in extra experience that’s relevant to the role
     
   • Emphasizing different aspects of your past experience
     
   • Changing the language that you use to match the job description
     
   
   Yes, it’s extra work; you might spend 15-30 minutes on this each time you apply to a job. But if these tweaks help get your resume from the huge “no” pile into the much smaller “yes” pile, then those extra minutes were well worth it.


5. Get Your Resume Edited and Proof-Read
   If you’re at all unconfident about your writing, it’s worth getting your resume professionally edited and proof-read. This isn’t just about picking up sloppy mistakes – it’s about presenting the best possible view of you to your potential new employer.
   
   There are hundreds of companies and individuals who offer specialized resume writing and editing services; try asking around your network to find out who’s reliable, or look for reviews online.
   
   If you can’t afford to pay someone to edit your resume, at least ask a friend to proof-read it – and the same goes for your cover letter. Typos and spelling mistakes create a very poor first impression.

Further Reading
Need some extra help? Dumb Little Man has plenty of advice on resumes:

Recreating Your Resume in 10 Simple Steps
How to Write a Resume That Will Land an Interview
Extreme Makeover – Resume Edition

Have you got any great resume-boosting advice to share? Do any of these tips chime with your own experience? Let us know in the comments!

Written on 6/21/2011 by Ali Luke. Ali writes a blog, Aliventures, about leading a productive and purposeful life (get the RSS feed here). As well as blogging, she writes fiction, and is studying for an MA in Creative Writing.

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The second or third question in virtually any introduction is, “So, what do you do?” What’s your answer to that question? For most people it has something to do with their career, job title, or the company they work for. It makes sense. Our identity is tied to the value that we bring into the world and historically that value means our profession.

Back in the day our profession was actually a part of our name - George the Barber,
Bob the Builder, Dora the Explorer...that’s how a lot of last names were first created.

In earlier generations, people tended to have the same profession and work at the same company for their entire working life. For many people, their profession and company weren’t just a huge component of their identity, but also a real source of pride.

But that was the old world. Things have changed.

Are you Familiar with the New World?
In the new world it doesn’t really matter where you went to school, what your major was, what your profession is, what company you work for, or what job title is on your business card. Seriously. Unless you're a doctor, college majors mean less then ever. People switch careers more frequently than ever. People change companies about every three years. Everyone has an impressive-sounding job title (“Account Executive” can mean anything from entry level telemarketer to an executive in charge of a major business account). No one really takes resumes at face value...they tend to be meaningless.

Even though everyone knows that these things basically mean nothing, it still winds up being the main way we introduce ourselves and communicate our value. Whether we want our identity to have a lot to do with our job or not, we still introduce ourselves as “I’m [name] and [description of job].”

There is a disconnect here because in our hearts we don’t want our value to be tied to something so uncertain and meaningless as our company or career. We want our value to be tied to something that we own. Something that can’t be taken from us. Most of us don’t want someone else to hold our identity hostage…we want the freedom to define ourselves and the control of our own identity.

But many of us are stuck in the old world thought process.

The New World is Full of Risk and Opportunity
A special few have noticed this new world and taken full advantage of it. They recognize that careers and companies have limited security and give little real value. They’ve decided that they need to make their own value, their own identity, so that the “what do you do?” question takes on a completely different meaning.

As the world is moving toward this intense individualism, the barrier to entry in business and mass communication has almost disappeared. A guy with a laptop can build a multi-million dollar business with nothing more than high quality advice and really solid marketing skills. A girl with a desktop can deliver news, information, and advice and build a following without having to climb a corporate ladder at a newspaper, magazine, or television station. An actor can produce a show watched by millions without getting a television deal.

This combination means that anyone with motivation has the means by which to create their own value and their own identity. Everyone has an ability to create proof of their talent, knowledge, and skills. We no longer have to rely on our resumes, references, companies, or work experiences to define our value. We can set off and create something that offers tangible proof of it.

That idea can be a bit scary. Many of us actually rely on the fact that no one really knows what anyone is actually worth. If no one really has proof then corporate success is up to the person who talks a good game or networks the best. If we were required to prove our worth we wouldn’t even know how to do it. We’d probably fall back and describe a past work challenge that we may or may not be exaggerating. If you actually have to put something out there to prove your value then what happens if it’s not good enough? Putting yourself on the line in that way can be terrifying.

Because it might not be good enough…yet.

The artists have the right start in this new world. For an artist it rarely matters where you studied or where you’ve worked, it matters what you can create. Resumes mean little. Portfolios speak volumes. The conversation is less “this is what I will be able to do” and more “this is what I’ve done already.” That’s how artists have to demonstrate their value because people demand visual proof.

Good salespeople have the right start in this world. They can point to sales data to show results in graphs and percentages that aren’t easily exaggerated. And of course those with successful online businesses or blogs can point people to their website and traffic/conversion data to demonstrate their value.

What These Changes Mean For You Today
Now this isn’t just a call to arms about becoming an online entrepreneur or a blogger (although both those things are certainly strong starting points), but I am saying that if you cannot easily prove your value to the world and to the marketplace by pointing to something that you’ve created or accomplished, then the new business world is leaving you behind.

If you do have a blog, or a business, or a portfolio, or anything like that then you should have the mindset that it equals your value. It’s not enough to put out interesting articles or optimize your opt in rate or any of that kind of stuff. What you do is your value. What you say is your value. Your impact in the lives of others is your value. It is no longer just a hobby or a side project or a money-making scheme. With Google, Facebook, and the rest of social media connecting everything to everyone, what you put out there defines you.

Now this article is a pretty heavy/serious one, which I typically avoid. In fact, I’m normally the guy who shows people how to stop taking themselves so damn seriously when it comes to their online business or blog or life. But I feel strongly that anyone who is not actively proving and improving their value in a public way will be missing out in this new world. I also feel strongly that anyone already out there who isn’t looking at their venture as, at least partially, a demonstration of their value to the world will be left behind by those who do.

I am very curious to learn your opinion on all this. Please tell me how you see this Old World/New World dynamic taking place in the world around you.

Written on 5/02/2011 by Joey, an online business guy who shows folks how to stop taking themselves so damn seriously when it comes to building an online business, starting a blog, or making big changes in their lives. His current project at http://findyourdamnpurpose.com/ shows how you can avoid the #1 mistake people make in business, blogging, and making life changes. Click to see the 100% free video course to find your purpose and set yourself up for success.

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Getting a raise is one of the quickest ways to improve upon your financial picture.. A few minutes of conversation can lead to a pay increase that you will enjoy year after year.

Most of us think that getting a raise is about asking at the right time or framing the question in a certain way. We worry about coming across as ungrateful or overbearing, and we don't want to run the risk of creating a bad situation and upsetting our boss. However, the truth is that most raises are won long before we ever bring up the question.

The five steps below will help you prove that you are worthy of a raise, so that next time you can ask for one with confidence.

1. Realize that experience does not equal value
   Simply "putting in your time" does not make you worthy of a raise, a promotion, or even a job. Many of us make the mistake of assuming that experience merits higher pay. In reality, higher value merits higher pay.
   
   This is a good thing. It means that there is something you can do to earn more money regardless of your situation or experience. It means that you can take action and "earn" a raise, rather than sitting around "hoping" to get one.
   
   You can start this process by being honest with yourself. How much value do you provide at your job right now? How much responsibility do you hold compared to your peers? Let's say you went to a new job; do you provide more value than the person that would replace you? These questions are not meant to discourage you, but rather to help you realize where you currently stand as an employee in your manager's eyes. It's easier to move up the ladder if you know what rung you are starting on.
   


2. Determine new ways to create value
   Once you have an idea of where you stand, you can begin looking for ways to increase your value. This is a pretty straightforward process. More valuable employees have more responsibility and generate more results. Let's turn back the clock and look at a very wealthy man as an example.
   
   Andrew Carnegie was one of the most successful -- and wealthy -- businessmen in all of history.
   
   When he was a teenager, Carnegie began working for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. He did extra projects whenever he could, took on additional responsibilities as soon as he could handle them, and showed enthusiasm for getting results. In reference to his time at the company, Carnegie said:
   
   

   "I could not resist the temptation to plunge in, take responsibility, give train orders, and set matters going."

   
   
   Carnegie made the practice of doing extra work a habit long before he had his own company and built his fortune in the steel industry. As a result, he earned promotion after promotion and raise after raise. He took honor and pride in the work that he did and showed a desire to go beyond the standard expectations.
   
   Do you perform duties outside of your regular department? Do you "plunge in" and "take responsibility" like Carnegie? If not, how can you start doing so?
   
   Make a list of additional projects, committees, and responsibilities you can take on at work. Has there been a project that has just been waiting to be finished, but no one has stepped up to work on yet? Is there an upcoming conference or meeting that you can help plan? In many cases, there will be some obvious tasks that you can help out on right away.
   


3. Ask for suggestions
   Employees that earn raises are often taking initiative. You can start by having a brief conversation with your boss.
   
   Tell your boss that you're looking to take on additional responsibilities and ask him if there are any suggestions for what you can do. If he asks why, tell him that you have career goals and improving your skills and increasing your responsibilities is part of that.
   
   If your boss gives you some suggestions, then you know what you should work on next. In many cases, however, your boss will put off the conversation and tell you that he'll "get back to you."
   
   That's fine. This is where you begin to stand out from the crowd.
   


4. Follow up
   Give your boss about a week and then follow up with him.
   
   This time, however, come with your own list of additional projects and tasks in hand. Show him that you have taken the time to seriously think about how you can create an impact and increase your responsibilities. Very few employees make an active effort like this and your actions will begin the process of setting you apart from your co-workers.
   
   This is an important step because it shows your boss that you are serious about providing additional value to the company.
   
   When you finish this follow up conversation, you should have at least one way that you can make a bigger impact. Join a committee. Take on an extra assignment. Become the go-to guy or gal in your office. There is always something you can do.
   


5. Make sure you have proof
   Take advantage of your increased responsibilities by doing an amazing job. You should make sure that your new project is your best work.
   
   As you finish your new projects -- and as you go about your regular job -- be sure to collect clear proof and evidence of your value. Did a customer give you an over-the-top compliment for the job you did? Get it in writing if you can. Did your co-workers find the presentation you gave to be very beneficial? Save those slides for later reference.
   
   If you can, try to quantify your impact with exact numbers. Did you lead a new training seminar for your peers? How many people attended? How many new skills did they learn? Did you save the company time or money? How much? Using numbers makes it easier for your boss to see your value.
   
   Using proof is the strongest tool in your toolbox. Keep track of what you do so that you can prove why you deserve a higher paycheck. It is much easier to get a raise when you have clear, specific proof of why you should get it.
   
   You earn your raise before you ask for it.
   
   After a few months -- or maybe even a few weeks -- you will have settled into your new responsibilities and you'll have proof of the value you provide. Now that you are armed with these tools, you can confidently ask for a raise. Your additional work will put you ahead of the standard employee and show that your value is worth rewarding.
   
   Yes, it's extra work, but compare the cost of a few months of additional projects to the payoff that you get from earning more year after year. Asking for a raise is something that most employees always want to talk about, but "never get around to it" because they know they haven't proven their worth.

If you are serious about getting a raise, then put in some work beforehand and prove that you are worthy of one.

Written on 3/23/2011 by James Clear. James Clear is the voice behind PassivePanda.com, a site that helps peopleearn more money. For additional salary negotiation tips and strategies, join Passive Panda's Free Newsletter on Earning More

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Do you have a resume? Is it a little out of date?

If you are one of the 13.9 million Americans who are currently unemployed and looking for work, I'm sure you'd be the first to tell us that finding a job is down right difficult right now. It's arguable that there's never been a more important time to polish up your resume and portray yourself in the best light possible. When you're looking for work to support your family every little bit helps.

In my prior employment I was often required to qualify candidates based purely on their resumes. There were quite a few shocking examples that came my way. Here are some ways you can overhaul your resume to better your chances at landing the job.

1. Organize it
   A cluttered resume may signal a cluttered and disorganized worker. People who are recruiting don't want to have to hunt and search for pertinent information. Organize the layout of your resume in a logical manner. There are many ways to do this but this is my favorite and in my opinion the easiest to make my way through.
   
   • Name and contact details in a single line across the top.
   
   
   • Summary of qualifications - a high level summary of what you have to offer.
   
   
   • Professional experience - be sure to include the company name, your job title, the dates you held the position and key accomplishments you made.
   
   
   • Education - list all diplomas and degrees you've received including the year it was awarded, the name of the institution and what you majored and minored in.
   
   
   • Round it out with additional information that may be important: publications, professional development, scholarships and awards etc...
     
2. You don't need to list all of your past work experience.
   If you've been in the work force for several years you may have bounced around from job to job or switched careers entirely. While you may be proud of all you've accomplished and want to show it off, it's not always a wise idea. Again it comes down to the recruiter having to read through a huge amount of information looking for the gems that are applicable to the position they want to fill. Customize your resume to the position being filled.
   


3. Details, details, details
   Go through your resume with a fine-toothed comb. Spelling mistakes, incomplete sentences and grammatical errors can mean the difference between getting an interview and not. Take the time to freshen up fonts and do your best to make your resume easy to scan. Use point form where you can and bold key phrases you want to draw particular attention to.
   


4. Simplify
   A busy resume full different fonts, formats and long solid blocks of text can be really difficult to read. Use font variations sparingly (sizing, type, bolding, italicizing and underlining) and be consistent. Consider removing sections of your resume as well. Things like personal interests, hobbies, training etc., may not be entirely appropriate to put on your resume. They can, however, be interesting and make great talking points so save them to build a rapport during an interview.
   


5. Pair it with a cover letter
   Always have a cover letter to accompany your resume. The cover letter serves the following purposes:
   
   • to let the recruiter know what job you're applying for
   
   
   • how you learned about the job opportunity (if it was from someone internal at the company use their name)
   
   
   • to highlight specific accomplishments that relate directly to the job being filled (education, training, experience ...)
   
   
   • to tell them a bit about your personality (motivated, communication skills, enthusiastic ...)
   
   
   • to let them know how you will follow up. Will you call them in a week or send them a follow up email?

Even if you're not actively looking for work it's a good idea to give your resume a bit of TLC. You never know when the position of a lifetime will come your way without notice.

While a kick ass resume won't guarantee you'll get the job, it certainly increases your chance at getting in the door and landing an interview. Dig yours up, have a look and breathe some new life into it. Before you send it out have a friend or family member read it over for you. There's a lot to be said for a second pair of eyes.

Do you have any resume tips to share - dos or don'ts?

Written on 2/17/2011 by Sherri Kruger. Sherri writes at Zen Family Habits, a blog celebrating all things family. Sherri also writes on personal development at Serene Journey, a blog dedicated to sharing simple tips to enjoy life

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Let's be honest, work for the most part, sucks. Even if you are part of the 20% of Americans who actually truly enjoy what they are doing, chances are likely that you would rather be doing something else.

Job satisfaction rates are horrendous and one of the reasons is that people are slowly starting to realize that there is a better way to live. We are wising up to the fact that we don't NEED to work a crappy job and just grind out a living.

There is so much opportunity for anyone willing to take control of their life and commit to living a passionate life.

Is it that simple? I believe it is. Is it easy? Of course not.

Working The Rat Race
hat is it that millions of people wake up unhappy knowing that they have to go to a job they hate? There are a number of reasons including:

1. Fear of failure
2. Fear of success
3. Lack of initiative
4. No clear goals
5. Apathetic towards life
6. Willingness to accept whatever they have

All of the above reasons are garbage. There is no reason for anyone to fall victim to these things. Yet, we do it all the time.

What ends up happening is that we find a job that looks acceptable and get stuck working in it for years. Most of us won't take the time to find something better and will just drift through life with a sub par job.

The end result is having a job we hate. Now, we can choose to quit and find another job or we can choose to suffer through it. Most of us choose the latter.

Staying Motivated When You Hate Your Job
I am speaking from personal experience here. I have lost all interest in my job and would rather go dig holes in the ground all day. Unfortunately, financial obligations will not afford me the luxury of leaving my job right now.

So, I have had to find ways of keeping myself motivated enough to keep my job and perform it well enough to provide quality work. Not an easy task when my days are spent thinking of leaving.

If you have found yourself in a similar spot, here are 5 ideas to keep you motivated (at least motivated enough not to get you fired!)

1. Know Your Future.
   If you have a clear understanding of where you want to be in 1,3, or even 5 years, then your job will become much more tolerable.
   
   Having something to look forward to can mean the difference between hopelessness and determination. Make sure you choose determination!
   


2. Do not take your loathsome job home with you.
   The sooner you can forget about your job the better. Far too often, and I'm guilty of this too, we take our bad attitudes home for the family to enjoy.
   
   Well, they don't. If you have children, then it's especially important to leave your misery behind. Our kids do not need to learn that a job equals unhappiness from us.


3. Enjoy your passions.
   If you're lucky enough to know what really makes you happy, you need to go do it! Even if it's for an hour each week, you have to.
   
   I'm not talking about a hobby here or shopping at the mall, I'm talking about spending time doing something you love.
   
   Why is this so important? Because it just might keep you from snapping and doing something stupid like bitch slapping your boss and quitting.
   
   If you were in the financial position to quit, you probably already would have, so don't go and get yourself canned.


4. Be better than your job.
   If your job sucks and you allow yourself to think that you suck too, then you're sunk. Do not allow yourself to be a byproduct of a miserable job.
   
   Know in your mind that this job is simply a means to an end and that some day you will be doing something better. Also know that you are not your job. You just work there. Don't confuse the two.


5. Plan for your release date.
   I would imagine that someone serving a long prison sentence would spend an enormous amount of time planning for their release date.
   
   What they're going to do, how they're going to do it, and how it is all going to go down, are all things that will probably be consuming their thoughts each day.
   
   A miserable job can feel a lot like a prison sentence. While we are not trapped per se, we can often feel like we are because of things like a poor economy, high unemployment, and too many financial obligations.
   
   Planning for the day you can walk away from your job and do something else should be something you spend a lot of time thinking about. Without a plan, you might just end up working another job just like the one you quit.
   


6. Keep It Together
   Knowing you have to go to work tomorrow and waste another day of your life is an awful feeling. Doing this for an extended period of time can lead to problems with depression, substance abuse, and marital issues.
   
   You need to keep it together! For your sake if nothing else. If you have a family that depends on you, please don't let your job become interfere with your quality of life at home.
   
   Find a way to make your job tolerable until you're ready to move on with your life.
   

My question to all of you is this: What if we actually took the time to figure out what we really wanted to do with our lives and then did it? Imagine that...

Written on 2/14/2011 by Steve Roy. Steve is the owner of EndingTheGrind.com, a blog about escaping the daily grind of a 9 to 5 job, building an online business, and living your passions. You can also find him on Twitter at @EndGrind.

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There are good jobs, bad jobs, and jobs that make you want to gouge your eyes out with a soup spoon. Most of us can take the good with the bad, but when things at work are continuously awful, it's time to start thinking about a change.

Listen, I get that we can't all be Lego assembly testers, video game reviewers, or rock stars, but come on...how how much misery should we take before we start planning a job move?

Having been in a job I'm unhappy with for 9 years, I can certainly speak from experience when it comes to knowing when enough is enough. I consider myself an expert when it comes to finding reasons to quit.

Here are 8 signs that you need to find a different job:

1. You area miserable S.O.B.
   Now, there are plenty of miserable people in this world and there could be a million different reasons for it. However, if your job is sucking all the joy from your life and is making your and your coworkers lives miserable, it's time to move on. Work won't always be a bed of roses and one needs to persevere, but there are limits.
   


2. You dread going into work.
   Most people, if they had the choice, would opt not to go to work everyday. That's completely normal and reasonable. If you're anything like me, you probably try to think of as many ways you can get out of work as possible. How to you feel when that alarm clock goes off in the morning? Tired is fine; full of fear and stress is not.
   


3. It's affecting your health.
   If you work with asbestos or in a coal mine, your job IS affecting your health. However, if you're a desk jockey and are not subjected to carcinogens all day long, that doesn't mean your health won't be compromised. Chronic stress has some serious adverse health effects.
   


4. It's stealing your dreams.
   If you find yourself settling for a job you hate, it's time to wake up. Maybe you're too lazy to try to find another one. Maybe you're worried about job market conditions. Maybe you don't have the confidence to go out and make it happen for yourself. Whatever it is, change it. Do not give up on your dreams, EVER! I am not saying to quit and then look. I am saying that you should at least allocate some time to looking for another job and then making a move when the timing is right for your family, finances, etc.
   


5. There is no room for growth.
   We all strive to better ourselves, or at least we should. Personal growth is something that every individual should experience. If it's being stifled by your job, it's time to pack it in. If you feel that regardless of your efforts and results that your current position is destined to be your only position, consider moving.
   


6. You know it's the wrong job.
   When you were in high school and working at Wendy's or KFC, you knew it was temporary. However, when we're in the real world, we work for a living. We spend 40+ hours each week in our jobs. If we have chosen one that we know is not the right one for us, we must take action. It may take us 15 years to find the right job, but we need to find what makes us happy.


7. It's not aligned with your values.
   Working at a job you don't like just for a paycheck is one thing. However, when you're in a job that is not at all in line with your values or morals, that's a real problem. For example, I work in the financial services industry. From what I've seen over the last 9 years, the primary theme is greed. It's amazing how prevalent greed is in this business and it makes me sick. I don't consider myself greedy, so being around money hungry sharks every day is a real problem for me. If your company stands for something that you don't believe in, it's time to get that resume out.


8. It's a complete waste of your time.
   Time is the most valuable commodity on earth. Yes, we all have to work for a living and that takes up our time. But, when the job we are working in is nothing more than a means to an end, it's a waste. Go find something meaningful that will do the world some good. Be different, be bold, make a difference!

Whatever the case may be, if you are extremely unhappy in your current job, do something about it. Don't tell me about the unemployment rate or the "security" of your job. Your daily sanity is worth more than that.

Go find something you love to do!

Written on 12/30/2010 by Steve Roy. Steve is the owner of EndingTheGrind.com, a blog about escaping the daily grind of a 9 to 5 job, building an online business, and living your passions. You can also find him on Twitter at @EndGrind.

Photo Credit: RLHyde

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Do you have a good work-life balance right now? Do you spend a good amount of your time working? Do you feel like you have a lot of things to do but you can't seem to finish them? Has it been a long time since you had a break or a vacation?

If you answered yes to any of the questions, there's a good chance you're prone to burnout. That's especially so if (a) you're a workaholic or (b) you constantly receive (and accept) more work than you can handle. The upside is the increased work exposure helps you gain experience and develop your skills. The downside is, you neglect your mental well being, relationships, and health.

Prolonged periods of working without rest wears you out, without you even realizing it. Before you know it, your productivity is waning, you feel tired more easily and you are on the verge of breakdown.

When that's happening, you're entering burnout mode. Burnout is common among working level executives, freelancers, self-employed, entrepreneurs and students, because you're directly responsible for everything and there are no work processes to guide you. Many people who are burned out for prolonged periods sink into depression which can be tough to deal with.

Below are 7 essential steps to avoid burnout.

1. Plan ahead
   Have a clear schedule. One of the biggest reasons for burnout is lack of proper planning. Thus, you over-commit yourself, sometimes having multiple deadlines running in the same time. This leads to late nights and high stress levels later on.
   
   Prepare a schedule that shows what you have to do on a monthly, weekly and daily basis. Create an overview template where you can see your upcoming commitments at a glance. That way, you know periods when your plate is full and periods when you can slot in more work. Leave sufficient lead time for each project.
   


2. Set aside non-work/leisure time
   Work can never replace what non-work activities can give you. For those of you who love what you do for a living, you probably just want to do it 100% of your time (apart of sleeping/eating). I know I feel that way as I absolutely love my work. I feel 110% blissful and excited just writing personal development articles day after day, working on my blog and doing 1-1 coaching with my clients.
   
   However, there are areas of your life that can't be fulfilled by just work alone. They can only be fulfilled by non-work activities. For example, activities like time with your loved ones such as family and friends. Time with yourself, to go for a quiet walk or pursue your other hobbies and interests. Exercise sessions where you rejuvenate your body and mind. Vacation to take a break and regroup. These activities are important, quadrant 2 tasks, essential for your well-being. They should be planned in your schedule too and shouldn't be deprioritized for work. Set aside some time every week where you can work on your relationships, your health, recreation and your spiritual self.
   


3. Define clear expectations with others
   Often times your colleagues, manager or clients have sudden, last minute requests where they need your assistance. This ripples out and causes a backlog in your own work. Without enforcing your boundaries, these will keep happening in the future. Let them know your commitments at the on-start so all of you can plan accordingly. Of course, it'll be hard to enforce this 100% of the time especially if you're working for someone, but clear communication will help move there. You have your boundaries and it's up to you to enforce it.


4. Stop overworking. Have a clean cut off for work
   Set a clean cut-off for your work. If you set aside X-Y time for a project, then make sure you end at Y time. Don't let it seep into other items on your schedule. If a particular task is taking way longer than expected, you're probably not going to get much done with the extra hour or 2. Stop working on it and get back at a later time or tomorrow where you'll have a fresh mind. I know I'm a lot more productive when I do that.


5. Cut off the 'busy work'
   There are always fire-fighting activities and administrative tasks in every line of work. Eliminate them as best as you can and get right to the content creation. What I do is I write down all the things I intend to do for a day, then I circle out the high value tasks - 20% tasks on the list that give me 80% of the value. Then I focus on them for the day. As for the remaining 80% tasks that give me lower value, I either put them off, delegate them or outsource them. When I do this, I feel I accomplished a lot more in the day. Otherwise, I get stuck in the 80% tasks that give little rewards, which is highly unproductive.


6. Talk to someone
   Having a listening ear helps you to sort out mental clutter. If you're feeling overwhelmed, share it with your friend. Ask him/her out and have a chill out session over drinks. Or give him/her a ring and just chat on the phone. You don't have to be alone in this. You'll be surprised at how ready your friends will be to listen and be there for you. You can also talk to fellow colleagues, and even your manager/teacher if you need advice from someone of experience.


7. Maintain a healthy lifestyle
   Working under crunch deadlines, you might often forgo sleep to get work done. At first it seems like it's okay - you can just recoup lost sleep by sleeping more the next day. However, the impact of lost sleep piles up over time, to a stage when it weighs heavily on you.
   
   Don't take your health for granted. Please make sure you sleep at least 5 hours every day. Having a proper diet and exercise regime is very important too. I used to take my health for granted, easily having days of not sleeping when I have a project deadline/workshop the next day. Now I don't do that anymore because I realize it takes a toil on the health in the long run. Proper scheduling (Step #1) is important to make this step a success.

How about you?
Try the 7 steps above to avoid burnout. Do you have any personal experiences with avoiding burnout or dealing with burnout? Feel free to share in the comments area.

Written on 10/7/2010 by Celestine Chua. Celestine writes at Personal Excellence, where she shares her best advice on how to achieve personal excellence and live your best life. Get her RSS feed directly and add her on Twitter @celestinechua. If you like this article, you will enjoy one of her top articles: 101 Things To Do Before You Die.

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Have you ever met someone who was rude to you and didn't hold you with much regard? How did you feel? Did you feel annoyed? Peeved?

If you are a self respecting individual, chances are you want others to treat you with respect. And you know what, age isn't a prerequisite nor is it a magic key to gaining respect. I've seen plenty of people who are young be highly respected from their elders. I've also come across older people who I'd never respect because their actions are so out of line. It's about how you conduct yourself, your attitudes towards others and your actions.

Regardless of whether you are a teenager, a student, a new member in your team/company, or someone starting out in the industry, you can be well respected by others. In this post, I share 10 ways on how you can be a well respected person. These 10 ways can be carried out no matter who you are:

1. Be good at what you do
   In every field of work, the most highly regarded people are those who are the best at what they do. Everyone loves competent people, especially those who present their best work all the time. If you're just starting out in your profession, that doesn't mean you're not deserving of respect. It's about starting small and building from there.
   
   When I started my personal development blog 2 years ago, no one knew me. Of my early audience, I remember some people would discount my work because of my age, saying I had no experience and shouldn't writing on such topics. Such comments are normal since they didn't know who I was, just my age and my brief background. Rather than letting these stop me, I built my reputation, one step at a time, via producing the best content and planting seeds everywhere. Over time, people began to register the value I was providing and they developed respect for what I was doing. Today, I have many readers and coaching clients who are older than me, and that's because they recognize my abilities and what I have to offer.
   
   It's through gaining experience and improving that you establish yourself as the best and earn the respect from others. It's not an overnight process, but the respect people have of you after that will be steadfast.


2. Respect others
   Respect is 2-way. If you want others to respect you, you've to respect others first. If you've ever come across someone who isn't being respectful to you, I invite you to think of just one person you're not being respectful to in your life now. Chances you'll find at least someone. Rather than harp on how people are not respectful to you, work on being respectful to those people you're treating shabbily. It'll help you reach new heights in your relationship with others. Whenever someone is rude to me, I think of how I might be rude to someone else and mend that relationship. It's creates a positive shift in my relationships.


3. Honor what you say
   No one likes a dishonest or unreliable person. A well respected individual is one who is honest in his/her communications and can be trusted to do what he/she promised. I believe integrity is the first step to being our highest self. I always ensure I live up to my commitments and deliver beyond what I promise. If due to some reason you can't honor your commitments, make sure you address them accordingly to the other party and make up for it.


4. Be open to criticisms
   Contrary to popular belief, being respected doesn't mean you won't receive criticism. In fact, it's quite the opposite. The more known you are in your work, the more criticisms you'll receive. My blog readership has grown over 4 times in the last 6 months. Just as I've received a lot more positive feedback than before on my posts, I'm also receiving more criticisms. It's not about rejecting criticisms but about being able to handle criticisms gracefully. People respect someone who is able to handle negative feedback and turn it into something positive. If you need pointers, here are 8 Ways To Deal With Critical People.


5. Treat yourself with respect
   It's funny that many of us seek respect from others, yet we don't even respect ourselves. Have you ever beaten yourself up before? Do you love yourself wholly and unconditionally? Do you treat yourself poorly by not getting enough sleep, proper diet or exercise? If you don't respect yourself, you can't hope to get respect from others. Start off by loving yourself. The love from others will come subsequently.


6. Conduct yourself professionally
   This includes dressing well, being well-mannered, using appropriate language and having social etiquette. If you haven't attended a social etiquette class before, it'll be useful to do so. Even if you intuitively know what they teach in the class, it's great as reinforcement. I attended a few etiquette classes when I was a student, including wine appreciation, dining etiquette, how to conduct yourself in a 1st meeting, etc. I personally found it helpful. The things taught inside are not rocket science by any means, but it helps to practice them in an actual setting and know what are the do's and do-not's.


7. Don't bad mouth others
   Whether it's in a professional or social setting, it's not appropriate to bad mouth people. You certainly don't earn respect this way. If you're unhappy with a certain individual and what he/she is doing, talk to him/her and work things out. Don't talk behind his/her back. This is the kind of behavior that attracts gossip and negativity. Not only does it reflect badly on you as a person, it also hurts the other party, whether you realize it or not. Be honest and transparent in your communications.


8. Stand up for what you believe in
   Have you ever come across people who simply agree with whatever others say without much thought? I have, and it gets meaningless after a while as they just say yes to everything. Personally, I have more respect for someone who disagrees (civilly) and stands up for himself/herself than someone who parrots others. Likewise, it is by having your own opinion and a mind of your own that you get respect from others. Don't be afraid to stand up for what you believe in. At the same time, make sure you do it in a respectful manner to others.


9. Be yourself
   Along the same lines as #8, be yourself. It's better to be an original version of yourself than an exact duplicate of someone else. People respect individuals who are original. Too many people try too hard to be someone else they are not and in the end they don't have a sense of identity. Discover who you are and what you stand for. What the world needs are more people who are true to themselves, not clones of each other.


10. Be a role model to others
    Actions speak louder than words. Are you a role model to others by way of your behavior? Do you uphold yourself to the highest code of conduct? You gain respect by walking the talk. The most respected person is the one who inspires others to achieve their best and enables them to unlock their highest potential.

How about you? Do any of the 10 methods above resonate with you? Do you have any personal experiences on how to cultivate respect from others? Feel free to share in the comments area.

Written on 7/31/2009 by Celestine Chua. Celestine writes at Personal Excellence, where she shares her best advice on how to achieve personal excellence and live your best life. Get her RSS feed directly and add her on Twitter @celestinechua. If you like this article, you will enjoy one of her top articles: 101 Things To Do Before You Die.

Photo Credit: B.S. Wise

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I have talked about the importance of monitoring your online reputation and the tools that help you do it effectively. The web 2.0 era demands that you keep a track of what's being said about you online. It's a part of what one might call "being informed."

Having said that, I think what's more important is what you say and do on the web and how you manage your online reputation. Managing online reputation, in my opinion, is a different than monitoring it; in fact, it's a completely different ballgame. It's the first stage of building your brand on the web and has to start even before you think about monitoring the brand.

If you aren't sure how to go about managing your online reputation, the following tips should help you get started. Check them out.

Think Before You Write
One important thing people don't understand is that when they email, tweet, or comment on blogs, is, that whatever they type is written record. In many cases, the comments can be held against you in a court of law any day. There are enough examples of celebrities landing in trouble due to their tweets, aren't there?

The bottom-line is this: just because you can type anything online doesn't mean you should type anything. Not only does it reflect on you as a person, but, an inappropriate sentence typed in haste could go a long way in damaging your brand. So, think before you write. Doesn't matter if it's a tweet, a blog comment, an email, anything...just take a step back for a second and take a careful look before you hit the send button.

Facebook Privacy Settings
Being the biggest online social network, it's imperative that we take our behavior on Facebook into consideration when we are talking about managing online reputation. The first step in this case would be to make yourself aware of Facebook's privacy settings. Ali did a nice roundup of them in one of her articles. You can also check out this guide to new Facebook privacy settings, and steps to disable Facebook places.

Once you are all set with privacy and other settings, the next step is to get your profile in order and remove unnecessary stuff. People often use Facebook to share very personal and private stuff which they should be ideally sharing face-to-face (or over email/phone). This is not recommended especially when there have been Facebook privacy disasters in the past.

Research Social Sites & Adapt Accordingly
Understand that just because everyone seems to be on that cool new social site doesn't mean you have to be there too. Don't join social sites impulsively. Think about the pros and cons first, and see if the site is actually helpful.

Some people spend their entire day on Digg while for some, there's hardly anything beyond Twitter. Hence see which site suits your needs and adapt accordingly.

Perform Ego Searches Often
Even though you might have been careful in your online interactions, things may not always go as smooth as you want them to. People might bad-mouth you on other sites or forums and try to damage your image. Hence it is recommended to perform ego searches i.e. searching for your name or brand on Google and checking the results that come up.

Build Trust and Get Followers
Finally, it all boils down to two things: trust and relationships. And they are valued in the online world as much as they are in the real world. At the end of the day, we are the same humans; it's the mode of interaction that is different.

So, try to build trust and develop long lasting relationships. This can be done by helping others, sharing your knowledge through a medium like a blog, providing incredible value through your services, doing something unique and different..there's no dearth of ways but as in the real world, building trust online also takes time and effort. But if you are patient and consistent, it isn't that difficult.

Cheers,

Abhijeet

Written on 8/23/2010 by Abhijeet Mukherjee. Abhijeet is a blogger and web publisher from India. He loves all things tech as long as it aids in productivity. He edits Guiding Tech, a blog that publishes useful guides, tutorials and tools. Check it out and subscribe to its feed if you like the site. You can also find him on Twitter.

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I like opening blog posts with something that everyone can agree with me on. I think I learned that technique from some “how to get people to like your blog post” article or book or something. So here we go — job searches suck.

With me so far? Okay, let me do it again. Writing a resume sucks. (The author of that article or book or something would be proud of me).

So, yes, searching for a job universally sucks, especially when it comes to that stupid little piece of paper that employers get to judge you by. And man do people freak out about resumes. Despite the 18 trillion articles about resumes on the internet, most of them totally drop the ball when it comes to creating an effective resume. Let's try to improve on that.

The way you need to think about your resume is that it is a sales tool. An effective resume should quickly communicate your strongest attributes to an employer who doesn’t know a thing about you. For most people and most jobs, a standard resume format (you know, listing a work history) doesn’t do that very well. Seriously, have you ever had to read a bunch of resumes? Even the good ones are boring. I don’t know about you, but if I’m hiring someone I really don’t care where they’ve worked, I care what they can do, what they achieved, and what they can bring to my organization.

So, that’s where this great resume in ten steps comes from. I’m going to teach you how to very quickly build a highly effective resume that focuses on selling an employer on your best skills. Your resume will no longer be a boring biography; it will quickly tell an employer exactly why they should interview and find more about you.

So, let’s build your new resume:

Gathering Your Selling Points

• List your top three most marketable skills
  Think about all the skills you can offer a company like “management,” “communication,” “leadership” and things like that. Decide what your top three most valuable skills or talents are (only the top three, you’re trying to build the most effective selling resume you can).


• Write down ten things that “prove” you have each skill
  Remember, employers don’t know you so you need to prove your skills to them. You can do this by mentioning past job experiences or responsibilities, education, successes, awards, and any other support fact. Take the time to write ten support points for each of your top three skills.


• Select the top three or four support points for each skill
  After you’ve got ten for each, you should have at least three or four strong points to support each skill. Pick the strongest ones. Again, stick with the top three or four because they’ll be your most effective selling points.


• Rewrite each support point
  Rewrite each of your support points so they are specific, in the active voice, and result oriented. (Bad example: “Responsibilities included bookkeeping, accounts receivable, and budgeting”; Better example: “Streamlined financial management at XYZ Company by efficiently managing budgets, maintaining accounts, and keeping accurate books.”)


• Rank your top three most marketable skills
  After you have your three skills and your three or four support points for each, you need to decide which skills are your best selling points for the job you’d like to get. Rank them.


• Rank the top support points
  For each skill, order the three or four support points by their strength.

Writing Your Resume

• Qualifications Summary
  The first thing after your name and contact information should be a qualifications summary. This should only be three or four lines long and should give the reader a highlight of your best selling points. In slightly more professional language it should communicate “I’m awesome because I can do X, Y, and Z.” If someone reads only one thing on your resume, these are the three or four sentences you want them to read.


• Skills and Support Bullets
  The main body of your resume, the section that most resumes list each job you’ve had, should be about your top skills. Each skill should be in bold with the support points in bullets underneath. Put your best selling points first on the page, so that’s the reader’s first impression of you.


• Work History
  Yeah, the reviewer still wants to know your work history, but it comes after your skills because you want them to focus on your best selling points and what you can bring to their organization. This should only show company, location of the company, dates of employment, and job title. You can discuss the details about these work experiences during an interview.


• Education and Miscellaneous Information
  It’s depressing, but a college degree doesn’t tell an employer anything about your qualifications. Degrees are generally just used to weed applicants out, so it belongs at the bottom of your selling tool. If there is any other bit of information that you’re dying to include in your resume, but it didn’t make it into your support bullets, and cannot wait for an interview, put it at the bottom too. But remember, if it wasn’t impressive enough to make it into your top support bullets, it probably won’t add to your selling points all that much.

Tada, you have an effective skills resume. This style of resume will help you in a few important ways.

• First, it makes your resume look distinct and refreshing compared to most of the other ones in the resume pile.
• Second, it forces the reviewer to consider your strongest selling points and your best selling messages first. That way you can directly tell the employer exactly how you can add enormous value to their company.
• Third, it forces you to weed out weak support points.
• Last, by not divulging your entire work story, it encourages an interested reviewer to call you for an interview to learn more.

So that’s your quick and highly effective resume. Remember, your resume should convince an employer to interview you and learn more about you, so don’t give them your life story without a bit of face time. Hope this is helpful and feel free to click “comments” and ask any questions.

Written on 8/21/2010 by Joey Weber. Joey is an expert in career development and marketability. For more on what he does check out www.joeyweber.net.

Photo Credit: woodleywonderworks

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