From The Inside Out

[Editor's Note: Repost from May '08]

If you are not where you want to be or should be, how are you looking at the situation? A friend of mine recently sent me a text message that really resonated with me. He said:

"Sight is what you see with your eyes; vision is what you see with your mind. What do you see?"

I want to take it a step further, are you looking at where you are with your natural eyes or can you visualize (in your mind) what you really want or should be doing? Whether it is a better job, wealth or a happy family, what is your ideal vision of it? The manifestation of all these things, among others, are usually created inside of us first. For example, anything that you say begins, first, as a thought - i.e. from the inside. Every action or behavior that we perform also begins, first, from the inside.

Hopefully you are beginning to "see" what I'm talking about. If not, let me break it down for you.

• If you want a better job, you have to see it first from the inside.


• If you want a better relationship with your spouse or significant other, you have to see it first from the inside.


• If you want to create and develop wealth you must first see it from the inside.


• If you want...you have to see it first from the inside.

Individuals like Walt Disney, Michael Jordan, Thomas Edison and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. saw things from the inside out. What do you see on the inside? Once you can see this, then take the necessary steps towards the manifestation of your vision. If you have no vision, then that's another story.

To help you begin the process, my book, F.O.C.U.S. On Your Future: 5 Simple Principles to Reach Your Goals will get you started. It will provide a foundation from which to build. If you can't see yourself doing what you want to do, from the inside, then you won't be doing what you want to do on the outside.

Remember, "sight is what you see with your eyes; vision is what you see with your mind."

Can You See Opportunity?

[Note: This is a re-post from May '08-I believe it still has some relevance.]

Look at the following and notice what you see:

opportunitynowhere

What you see depends a lot on your current mindset. If you are oriented towards excellence, you probably saw "opportunity now here"; however, if you have a very negative outlook (as many people today have), you probably saw "opportunity nowhere." I read about this little 'test' in a book titled, No More Mondays by Dan Miller. An excellent book should you desire no more Mondays in your life. (Use the Amazon search box below to find)

Back to this mindset thing. Another way of looking at this example is best explained by, "it's not what you see but how you look at it." Often times we - you and I - have a tendency to look at the negative side of things. Do we see the inherent good in others or do we see them as evildoers out to get us? Do we see high gas prices as more than we can bear or do we see it as a temporary condition that we have no control over?

If you are not where you want to be, take inventory about how you see yourself. A step further, look at what caused you to be where you are. When you really examine this, you will discover that it is no accident that you are at the place where you are right now. It may have been a decision or choice you made years ago. It may be because of "stinkin' thinkin'" Nonetheless, you are here.

In my new book F.O.C.U.S. On Your Future, I hit upon how to "Create a New Mindset." If all you hear and read is negativity, guess what you will focus (no pun, I promise) on primarily. It is very difficult for you see "opportunity now here" when all you keep hearing is "opportunity nowhere."

Those who personally know me have heard me say, "once you find your ideal job, you will never have to work another day in your life." That is my mindset. I don't see it as work (out of necessity) but instead, as something I enjoy doing every day. What is your mindset? How do you view where you are at this moment in time? Do you like where you are at this moment? Just a few questions to ask yourself. When you can answer them honestly, you are on the road to creating a new mindset where you can begin seeing OPPORTUNITY NOW HERE.

In All Things Give Thanks

You woke up today and saw the sun shine. Give thanks!

You experienced history in the making on Election Day. Give thanks!

You have clothes. Give thanks!

The above mentioned statements are simplistic for a reason. Regardless of what you hear in the news, read in the newspaper or hear at the “water cooler,” you have a lot to be thankful for. We may not have everything we want; we may have even loss someone or something - but at the end of the day we should say thank you for being able to experience another day in the best country in the world.

I say best country in the world because where else can you have access to the opportunities that we have. An African-American can become President (Barack Obama); a woman can become a CEO (Meg Whitman-Ebay); and a first-generation college student from the inner city can become an author and start his own business (yours truly).

Yes, we are experiencing some trying times locally, statewide and on a national level. If I know my history, nearly 80 years ago, this country experienced similar economic trials. I believe it was called the Great Depression. Even through that “dark” period in our history, this country was able to move on and prosper though not without other trials:

-WWII
-Korean War
-Civil Rights Movement
-Assassinations
-Vietnam War
-70’s Oil Crisis

When going through a valley experience - i.e. trial - don’t pitch a tent. Go THROUGH it and make the necessary adjustments or changes within your control; and when you come out on the other side…GIVE THANKS!

How Do You Recession-Proof Yourself?

Extreme job loss. The devaluing dollar. High foreclosure rates. A recession. An unstable stock market. Just a few of the issues facing our economy.

The above mentioned items don’t leave one to believe in or have faith in finding a job, let alone a career. It may even lead to individuals settling for less than what they deserve and missing out on their purpose in life. This is an unfortunate reality for many people, especially those affected by the aforementioned issues.

What can you do to survive, much less find your ideal job or career?

I read an article recently that referenced another article that asked, “Are Career Paths the Best for Professional Advancement?” You know, climbing the “corporate ladder.” For our purposes here, don’t look at “corporate” and “professional” as white collar, paper pushing executives carrying designer briefcases who drive expensive luxury sedans. Instead, look at it as working in a job or career that fully maximizes your skill set where you thoroughly enjoy what you do day in and day out.

Believe it or not, it is possible. How?

Back to the article. It is possible by building a career portfolio. A what? Yes, a career portfolio. I know, “how do I do that?” I’m glad you asked. Here are three things you can do to begin building your career portfolio:

1. YOU diversify. You will be less dependent on the company or the economy for security with the more options you have. This can be done by number 2.

2. Knowing your “most profitable skills.” The more transferable your skills are, the better you can make yourself attractive to potential employers as well as your present employer. An important key is “knowing” what those skills are.

3. Staying current on the trends in the economy and in your field or industry. Knowledge is power - only if you use it. Putting this knowledge to use should allow you to make wise decisions as it relates to finding your ideal job or career.

Regardless of your current situation take action by making yourself recession-proof.

When you truly know what your strongest competencies (i.e. skills) are and you strengthen them so that you are the best at what you do, you become recession-proof.

Of course this isn’t the only action you can take to walk into your ideal job or career. If you aren’t there yet, here is a good place to start. DO NOT allow your state (or condition) to determine your fate!

When you take action and follow the above strategy you, too, will be able to create success today for tomorrow.

FEAR NOT! Despite Economic Woes

Smell that? It's fear. Fear of losing jobs. Fear of losing money. Fear of...(fill in the blank).

The media is doing a wonderful job painting a “ghoulish” picture of recent events. Regardless of what you read in the newspaper or watch on television, there are jobs out there. The questions to ask yourself are, “am I marketable enough to find a job/career that is available? or what am I willing to accept?”

If you are resting on your “outdated” skills and have not developed new skills, then you are taking yourself out of the competition for the jobs that do exist.

I attended a conference in Washington D.C. sponsored by the Council for Opportunities in Education. One of the sessions I attended was titled, “Preparing Our Students for a Global Economy.” Whether you are a student or not, the information was clear - employers are looking for individuals who possess a plethora of skills.

Being a personal development coach, the information was not surprising. Skills that were mentioned as valuable to competing in this global economy included:

• 
  
  Ability to communicate (written & verbal)
• Being creative
• Working as part of a team
• Multi-tasking
• Openness to new ideas/processes

This is, by no means, the complete list of skills “global” employers are looking for.
Yes, it is unfortunate that many people have lost their jobs; it is a shame that big businesses are folding; and even more jobs being outsourced overseas.

FEAR NOT!

If you are currently employed, seek any opportunity (on the job or not) that allows you to develop or enhance the skills you already possess; and if you are currently unemployed, look for professional development opportunities at 2-year colleges or local community centers.

The better prepared you are for “ghoulish” news the easier it is to walk into new territory.