What Do You Want From Life?
The tragedy for millions of people is that they never decidewhat they want from life and make plans for it. Life will provide whatever we demand. Most of us don't demand what we want but simply settle for what our job supplies. Too many jobs are dead-end with little room for advancement. Many don't know what they want to do, so they drift throughlife with the hope that success will overtake them. Some still have no idea for their life's profession after they have graduated from college. Sometimes you try something and get lucky. Your talent and temperament fit the job and you do well. Countless others hate their job and never advance to a satisfying one. Decide what you want from life and what it will take to get it. College can be used to explore areas you are interested in. Investigate the requirements of the position you want. Set short and long term goals to do what it takes to achieveit. Stick to your plans no matter what happens. Those that set goals and follow them usually succeed. If you have no goals, you tend to drift through life being the victim of circumstances instead of controlling them. Not having a goal is like driving on the highway when you don't know where you are going. You had better find out. You might be going in the wrong direction. If you aim for nothing, you are sure to hit it. Ten % of life is having things happen to you that you have no control over. Ninety % of life is how you react to the other ten %. You can't control the ten % but you can control the ninety %. You can't control what happens, but you can soften the blow of unfortunate times by saving money for emergencies. Millions fall into the credit trap. Credit is a great thing when used wisely, but it will ruin your chances for a decent life if not controlled. Anyone familiar with simple arithmetic should know that you can't pay out more than you take in, yet most families are thousands of dollars in debt. Pay it off as soon as possible. If you pay the minium amount on a large debt it will take most of your life to pay it off, if you ever finish. You can't afford the extra interest. Most of us have to buy homes and automobiles on credit. It is best to use as little for other things as possible. Leave your credit cards at home when you go shopping so that you will have to think about it for a while before using them. Getting enough ahead to make some sound investments is a tremendous help. Compound interest adds up fast and having it work for instead of against you makes a big difference. After you have invested regularly for a few years, the interest you receive makes it unnecessary to live from paycheck to paycheck. You can subtract your IRA investment from your taxable income. You pay no tax on it until you take it out. Roth or other plans may work even better for you. It is recommended that you save at least ten % of the money you make. Keep some in the bank and invest the rest. Set aside a certain amount to invest each month. If the market is up you will buy fewer shares. If it is down you can buy more. If you have a knowledge of investments and are willing to keepup with how they are doing, you might do well deciding what to invest in yourself. If not, it would be wise to rely on a professional. Choose wisely because some brokers are more interested in their profit than yours, and will load you down with a lot of activity with the resulting commissions you will have to pay. Look for someone you can trust who has your best interest at heart. If you don't have a plan for your life, you have no purpose. There is no sense of urgency and you are more inclined to splurge on pleasure and creature comforts. When you have a goal and a budget you already know what to spend your time and money on. You can be content in tough times because you know that you are doing the best you can with the present circumstances. You know that difficult times will only be temporary and that success is hidden behind the rough spots. Having short time goals permits you to break down the task into bite size steps and are more likely to stick to your plans. If you just have a long time goal, you will be moreeasily discouraged because what you have to do seems out of reach. It is important to know what you desire from life, so thatyou won't waste your time doing things that do not contribute to what you want to accomplish. -- You have permission to publish this article if the byline at the bottom. Please notify me when you do at lynn_b2@yahoo.com. Total words 880. Lynn Bradley is also the author of the paperback book,"Climbing the Heavenly Stairs." To read more about it click on the following link. http://www.thelynnbradleybook.com | | | | RELATED ARTICLES Career Success: Get Ahead of the Crowd Regardless of where you open your briefcase or palm pilot each day - at a large corporation, a small business or the end of your dining room table ? the key to staying employable the rest of your life is your own creative action. The person who is going to be successful is not going to succeed just because of good work. That is a given. It is expected. Crafting your competitive advantage is what is going to get you ahead in these crazy, changing times. Pat attention to and practice the following three tactics to not only stay in the game but to get ahead of the crowd. Learning a Foreign Language Many people love learning languages or would like to learn a language and use their language skills in a job. In today's global economy the demand for language skills continues to grow as governments, businesses and organisations build relationships with foreign interests. What Not To Include In Your Resume Do you have a difficult time determining what does not go in your job resume? The rule of thumb is to only put enough information about your qualifications in your resume in order to get the employer interested enough to contact you about an interview. Recovering From a Career Crisis If you have ever experienced any of the following, you have had a career crisis: Integrity At Work - How Do You Show Up? As the business sections of today's papers and magazines read more and more like the police blotter, ''Integrity'' is fast becoming a hot topc of conversation in business boardrooms, around water coolers, and in today's business best-sellers. Integrity is defined as walking the talk when it comes to living one's true values, being authentic. Take this self-assessment and explore how you walk your integrity talk when you show up at work. Working In Iraq: Is It For You? The US Army Corp of Engineers and numerous private companies are still looking for people to help rebuild Iraq's infrastructure. In fact, one Web site reports that there are currently 60,000 jobs available in Iraq for US citizens. And the pay can be very good. Some civilian contractor jobs start at $80,000. Others pay even more. A truck driver earning $30,000 in the US may be able to get a job in Iraq paying $70,000, $80,000 or even $90,000 a year. Revitalize Your Recruiting for 2005 Happy New Year! The forecasts are in agreement: Hiring is on the rise. 2005 will mark the revitalization of our economy. In fact, hiring plans may rival 1999 statistics, when the economy was at its strongest. How To Stay Calm in Tryng Times That's not you? Great! Bad habits are hard to break once the addiction gets hold of us. Been there. Gave up "smokes" long years ago but it took lots of willpower to kick the habit. 10 Major Signs of Job Dissatisfaction The New Year is a great time to analyze your job and the satisfaction you get from doing it. Running the rat race is just that, scurrying around only to find that at the end of the day or week you are still not happy about who you are and what you do. For many people they think exercise, changing their eating habits, or learning a new sport or language will make a difference in their emotional and physical well being. Fortunately for some that's all it takes, but for others a complete job makeover is the only way. 10 Things to Do to Get the Job 10. Understand all of the opportunities available to you. Don't just assume that you can only work at the standard place of employment for your area of study. The key to finding a great career is to think outside of the box. Don't get caught being narrow-minded when considering where to apply your skills and energy. Every firm needs accountants, project managers, sales people, etc.9. Get to know a successful person. Your dad's friend doesn't count if he doesn't know you. You must be able to find someone that has had decent success in any field and become their new friend. The tendency for those that are mentored to go much farther in their career is significant. You can take the world on all by yourself or you can benefit from the experience and wisdom of others. Mentors can make all the difference at every stage of your career.8. Learn to sell yourself. You have a lot more to offer than you may think. Whether your history is full of experience or education, you are bringing unique qualities to a company. You must learn to express your skills in a succinct and convincing manner. It may feel like boasting at first, but your ability to sell yourself will help you tremendously.7. Network in professional associations. If you really want to make an impression, meet people that already work in your industry. Volunteer with them for projects and get to know them. Building a relationship is the fastest way into a company. Learn what they do and what you should do to get ahead in the field or at a particular company. These people are there to make friends and network as well. Don't be shy about your professional ambitions and you will get very far.6. Network inside the company. If you want to ensure your role at a company then you need to get to know several people in the company. No matter what you may be applying for, you will be competing with others to make an impression with people. The fact is that people love to work with those that they trust and like. If you can make a good impression with multiple people inside a company, you have a built-in competitive advantage when deciding to hire you or another qualified candidate. Use professional organizations to meet company employees if you can. For the more direct route, try contacting a manager in the department you want to work in to meet and ask questions. If you are personable, you will probably not have any problems getting to know a few people inside a company.5. Bring something to your job. Just like JFK said, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." If you have done your homework, you know what the company is doing now, where it is going, and what issues that your department is facing or will have to deal with in the future. Talk about what you can do in the interview and with as many managers as you can. Sure you are going to be told what to do, but never underestimate the impact of taking on extra responsibility. You may not be applying for a management position, but this could help you get there.4. Get your résumé to the best people. There are several strategies for marketing yourself to the decision makers in a company. Whatever your method may be, it is crucial that you get your résumé to the highest-ranking managers possible. If you can impress an executive with a great résumé, you will find your path through the company door wide open. If an executive passes along your résumé or just mentions that they received your résumé to a hiring manager, you are going to get serious bonus points. The desire to please is prevalent at many larger companies, so any chance you can take advantage of to get your name dropped (or recognized) by top management is a great.3. Do your homework. You have heard this all of your school career, but it is even more important in the your career search. You can easily blow a great job opportunity by not knowing enough information about the company. Be sure to read industry news and trends to have a better perspective on the challenges and opportunities the company is facing. Read the company's website thoroughly. There is so much information readily available, including key personnel's names, positions, and contact info. Take advantage of this information and any other knowledge you can attain from the multitude of sources available.2. Hit the pavement. Don't be afraid to show up at the company you want to work for. Nobody can sell yourself like you can. Even if the company isn't advertising a position, they are almost always looking for great employees to hire. The information age has nearly eliminated the need for face-to-face contact, which is why it is so effective now. If you meet the people that you want to work for then you are demonstrating your commitment and confidence in yourself. The younger generation of job seekers have forgotten the importance of personal relationships in business, leaving many talented people wondering why they aren't being hired. Get out there and show that there is a person behind the résumé.1. Ask for the job you want. If you bring quality skills and/or experience to the table, let it be known. If the open position won't challenge you enough, find ways to add responsibility. Tell interviewers that you want to make a difference at their company. Confidence in one's ability is key to landing great jobs. If the decision maker can see that you have a lot to offer and are willing to work harder than current employees, there is no decision; you are hired! How To Answer Your Call In Mid-Life Hank Bochenski's story proves it is never too late to walk away from a life you feel trapped in and do something that you really love. Adapting To Change In A Changing World Have you learnt a new skill or improved upon your existing skill in the last six months to one year? When and How to Say I Just Cant Do It! We naturally hesitate to tell our boss when we can't do something or are feeling overwhelmed in our job. Bosses don't want to hear that, right? Well, it depends. In many situations, your boss is so busy that he/she doesn't keep track of how much work you're doing. When your boss gives you a new project, he's not thinking about all the other projects you're already working on. And here's the kicker -- unless you speak up and tell your boss that you can't handle the workload he's giving you, he'll assume everything is fine. This can have bad consequences for you AND your boss. You know what will happen. Eventually things will start falling through the cracks or you'll rush through tasks and start making mistakes. You can only do so much in a day, and deadlines will be missed. While you're stressing out, work that your boss needs you to do is NOT being done. When this happens, your boss will not appreciate your excuse: "But I had too much to do, I was overloaded with work!" Saying that AFTER the fact will be much worse than telling your boss up front -- before mistakes occur or deadlines are missed -- that you're having trouble with your workload. It is your responsibility to tell your boss when you are overwhelmed, and there's nothing wrong with doing this. Of course, you don't want to tell your boss, "I can't do that; I'm too busy." But you can say, "I'll be happy to take that on, but I need your help with prioritizing the other projects you've already given me. Which jobs can I put on hold or delegate to someone else while I work on this new one?" That's way better than keeping your mouth shut, trying to do too much, and failing miserably. Planning To Work Abroad Working abroad can be an exciting, rewarding and horizon broadening experience; and if you take the time to plan ahead carefully before you go, you will make your transition into the overseas work place a smooth and successful one. Closing the Gap on Your Career Goals If you still picture a steady progression up the ladder when you think of your career goals, it is time to shift your thinking. For most people, climbing the career ladder is no longer an option. The working world has changed so dramatically that linear career paths rarely exist, except as historical symbols. Old Hiring Foxes vs. The Hedgehogs You are about to compete for the best people again. The recovery is happening. Labor statistics indicate over 280,000 new jobs were created in the U.S. last May. Is your company's hiring process a competitive weapon-or a ball and chain? If you're not sure, here are some places to look: How to Pick the Best Career For You , Part 2: From Exposure-to-Opportunity Gain an audience by recognizing opportunityThere's a sexier method to salsa into a great career with less tripping and more flair. Look for problems to solve and create a personalized solution. Find those challenges by spotting company movement of any kind, whether the change is good, bad or ugly. If you do this, you'll capitalize on an opportunity to be heard and get that coveted invitation to dance in the king's court. A Cover Letter Tip Guaranteed To Land You More Job Interviews! Looking for a new job? Skilled Mechanic Wage Study Review Well what is a good mechanic worth these days? You cannot place a value on them simply as labor units as they teach in management school, they are worth more than money. So why not treat them with respect and dignity and pay them what they are worth, we believe that the national averages are too low. There is a partial report on the Automotive and Trucking Sector from the Fed's Beige Book, June 2002. Preparing For Your Job Interview: What You Need To Know To Be Successful In the limited time an interviewer has with you, their mission is to know you and assess your worth, especially in relationship to the other candidates interviewed. Asking you questions is the way they accomplish that mission.
|