Years ago, soon after my brothers convinced my parents of the dire need for a Nintendo, my mother found an old, over-sized water pitcher. Made of thick, light green glass, the pitcher was heavy even when empty. As it sat empty near the living room's sliding glass door, it distorted the sun's rays that peeked in during the late afternoon.
This particular pitcher sat not far from the Nintendo console; small, gray and boxlike, the orignial Nintendo was a beautiful sight to behold. Though my brothers thoroughly enjoyed endless bouts with Bowser (Super Mario Brothers), shooting down innocent "game" birds (Duck Hunt) and rounds of boxing (Mike Tyson's Knock-Out), they still pushed on for additional games.
One Sunday afternoon, after several rounds of Knock-Out and pestering my mother to go out and buy more Nintendo games, she finally became so annoyed at the pushing and urging that she decided to do something about it.
She called all four of us over to the water pitcher and had us gather around. Her fists were closed tight around jingling change and we watched as she began to slip the pennies, nickels and dimes through the opening to the pitcher. Each one fell no less than a full sixteen inches to the bottom, emitting a muted clang as it impacted with the thick glass.
"This," she said with a grand gesture. "is the Game Jar. As you find change around the house, at school, on the street, you'll put it in here. When it's full and ONLY when it's full, will you be able to use all of the change to buy a new game. You must all agree on that game but your goal for right now is to fill up the Game Jar. Go!"
For about half a second, my three brothers and I looked at each other before splitting off in search of piggy banks, coins buried underneath the seat cushions and to scour our driveway for any shiny change (we were not allowed to go beyond that point so it seemed lucky to even find one nickel and two pennies). For a few hours, the Game Jar held our complete attention and though we argued about what game to get (I did NOT want a sports game), the ultimate goal of a new Nintendo game, any new game loomed before us.
In the days to come, school, sports and activities ultimately demanded more of our attention but we still slipped change into the game jar. Given how massive the jar was, though, a month's worth of extra change barely managed to completely cover the bottom.
Months slipped away and turned into years. The beloved, boxy Nintendo console was replaced by a Super Nintendo, a Jaguar (remember those?), a Sega Genesis and nearly every other piece of gaming technology that also sat in the homes of our peers. As I'm the youngest of the four siblings, I had the longest amount of time living at home with the Game Jar. I barely noticed it after a few months, though I occasionally saw the level of change rise. Over time, that old water pitcher actually began to fill up with loose change. I realized that though my brothers and I completely forgot about the Game Jar, my mother was still slipping in loose change.
One afternoon when I was a senior in high school, I was curled up on an oversized chair with an oversized AP U.S. history book in hand. I cannot recall what period in history I was reading about on that cold day but as the winter sun came out from behind the clouds, a few rays clipped the top of the water pitcher and a gleam caught my eye.
"Wow," I thought to myself. "How long has that been there? Twelve years? And it's just now coming up to the top? Ha! I wonder what Nintendo game we should get. Too bad we got rid of that old thing years ago. We COULD use a new Dell computer or something else, though..." A crooked smile broke out on my face as I turned back to the interminable history chapter in my book. In the back of my mind, however, an idea was forming.
A few months later, after I'd begun adding in my own change to the coins my mother periodically added, the pitcher was full. With no brothers left at home and zero interest in a game of any kind for the remaining Play Station console, I convinced my parents of our dire need for a new computer. Shocked as I was when they agreed to let me even see how much changed was in there before heading to Best Buy, I found it ironic how much harder it was for me to even lift the over-flowing water pitcher. Several plastic bags (money bags?) later and a good fifteen minutes pouring loose change into a money changer at the grocery store, we actually found that twelve years worth of loose change gathered in an oversized water pitcher can equate to nearly $200 worth of money.
A few days worth of computer research and several conversations with a techie later, I proudly set up the new Gateway desktop in our computer room. Over the months, as my brothers came home and logged in to whatever archaic email system we had at the time (this was ten years ago now so I'm thinking it was AOL), they all commented on how awesome it was that we finally got something out of all that change. The goal had changed, obviously, as life changed, technology evolved and we evolved with it; in the end, however, we ultimately got exactly what we needed.
I tell this story not necessarily because I'm in a remniscent state of mind right now; in all honesty, I think it's a good illustration of how life impacts our goals and though we must evolve along with our aspirations (whether they be professional, personal or even game-console related), the importance of still striving for those goals cannot be stressed enough. Though it's really a silly little family story, my mother could have easily stopped putting money in the Game Jar a few months after my brothers and I ceased paying attention to it. We never would have known nor would we have cared. Moreover, I could have simply rolled my eyes at the rising level of change in the Game Jar, wondering why anyone was still paying attention to it; instead, I realized that though we grew out of the Nintendo as quickly as we grew out of shoes at that time, our goal for ultimately obtaining a new piece of technology was still there.
When it comes to careers, everybody's Game Jar looks different: some people may want to be in a career that makes them a lot of money while others are looking for a more emotionally fulfilling job. In other situations, some people may look for a medical job while others shy away from anything related to blood, guts and gore and aim for a career in the IT field. Whatever your goal is, it's beyond to remember that, over time, the goals you initially had in mind will progress in different ways and rather than let the goal fall by the wayside, you must continue marching along and simply tweak what you want. If your goal to become a partner at your law firm is sidetracked after you fall victim to the recent onslaught of legal layoffs, take the time to strategically plan out how to move forward in your career. Instead of thinking to yourself, "I worked so hard here and didn't make partner at this place so it's just not going to happen and I'm giving up." is defeatist. Alternatively, and as with the Game Jar, you can acknowledge that while your original plan fell through, you can still move forward and reach your goal another way.
How have your professional goals changed in the last few years? How have you changed along with those goals? Do you feel that you're still aiming for something remniscent of yor original goal(s)? Why or why not?
Lastly, what does your Game Jar look like?
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Let's try that again...
To all,
Though I like to keep my promises (and always do with my clients), I was unable to deliver more posts since my November 2009 promise to do exactly that. My apologies (again) but I promise (again) to keep up better now. That said, business has been VERY busy in the last several months and every time I had a great idea for a new post, emails would flood my inbox, the business line would ring or I'd be leaving for a client meeting. Though I don't see any of those abating in the future, I do want to try and post on a more regular basis.
For today, here's a brief thought that I hope makes everyone ponder the importance of coaching. In an earlier conversation, a colleague mentioned to me that he knows a woman whose entire business is built around the notion of organizing your office and closets (a service I could really use!); he then paused as the connection between physical organization and coaching was made in his head.
"Emily, that's what you do! Your brand of coaching is meant to organize people's professional lives!"
I'd never thought about coaching in that context but he's absolutely right. The truth is, most of us know we can actually organize our offices and closets if necessary but often get stuck in the "Where to start?" phase as we stare at a space overflowing with clothes, shoes and G-d knows what else. Where your career is concerned, similar feelings arise. Sure—people often have the tools for jumping into or reigniting their careers but get bogged down before they even start. Swirling in people's minds are thoughts like, Where am I going? What career path is right for me? How do I best move forward and ensure doing so in a way that brings me success without throwing the rest of my life out of balance?
Career coaching, when done right, removes the "Where to start?" notion, assisting you in putting the pieces together and allowing you to move forward, toward success, in a strategic and meaningful way.
While I go ponder my own closets, let me know what scares you about moving forward in your career. Are you worried about not finding a new job? Or are you struggling with what career path would be most suitable for you? Do you simply feel that your professional career is in disarray, appearing something like the job-version of a messy closet? Regardless, how can professional organization help you?
Wishing you happy careers and balanced lives,
Emily
Though I like to keep my promises (and always do with my clients), I was unable to deliver more posts since my November 2009 promise to do exactly that. My apologies (again) but I promise (again) to keep up better now. That said, business has been VERY busy in the last several months and every time I had a great idea for a new post, emails would flood my inbox, the business line would ring or I'd be leaving for a client meeting. Though I don't see any of those abating in the future, I do want to try and post on a more regular basis.
For today, here's a brief thought that I hope makes everyone ponder the importance of coaching. In an earlier conversation, a colleague mentioned to me that he knows a woman whose entire business is built around the notion of organizing your office and closets (a service I could really use!); he then paused as the connection between physical organization and coaching was made in his head.
"Emily, that's what you do! Your brand of coaching is meant to organize people's professional lives!"
I'd never thought about coaching in that context but he's absolutely right. The truth is, most of us know we can actually organize our offices and closets if necessary but often get stuck in the "Where to start?" phase as we stare at a space overflowing with clothes, shoes and G-d knows what else. Where your career is concerned, similar feelings arise. Sure—people often have the tools for jumping into or reigniting their careers but get bogged down before they even start. Swirling in people's minds are thoughts like, Where am I going? What career path is right for me? How do I best move forward and ensure doing so in a way that brings me success without throwing the rest of my life out of balance?
Career coaching, when done right, removes the "Where to start?" notion, assisting you in putting the pieces together and allowing you to move forward, toward success, in a strategic and meaningful way.
While I go ponder my own closets, let me know what scares you about moving forward in your career. Are you worried about not finding a new job? Or are you struggling with what career path would be most suitable for you? Do you simply feel that your professional career is in disarray, appearing something like the job-version of a messy closet? Regardless, how can professional organization help you?
Wishing you happy careers and balanced lives,
Emily
Friday, November 13, 2009
...and I'm back!
First things first--my deepest apologies to everyone (and I use that term loosely) for going AWOL. I was not truly missing nor did I abandon my coaching. Quite the opposite actually—I was so lucky to have found something I love to do that I just became overwhelmingly busy actually doing it. Between clients, workshops and being hired as a full-time consultant for a non-profit, I've been left with little time to write (another thing I love to do).
Though it's not quite resolution time yet (what with Turkey Day, Chrisnukahwanza and a surplus of sappy holiday commercials left before New Year's Eve), I am putting it out there in cyberspace that I resolve to keep up with my blogging/personal writing more in the future. It's that important to me and I recognize the void I feel since I've not had time to write. Someone please hold me to this, okay? Someone? Anyone?
Now that I've taken care of explaining my absence and promise it won't happen again, I do want to discuss the importance of goal-setting and the ways to handle getting there. First off, let me share a little something personal (and this does relate): Tuesday was a big day for me. On Tuesday, little ol' me walked into a hotel in midtown Atlanta and had the pleasure of presenting a series of employment workshops as part of a larger city-wide initiative. I was actually quite flattered they asked me to present and shocked when they asked what I charge for such things. Charge? As in, they were going to pay me to get up in front of people and talk about something I already know a lot about?
Clearly, I am new at this. However, I think that's what made me so happy about the whole situation. People are paid to speak all the time, but I imagine those people to be, you know, adults. And experts (of which it takes ten years or 10,000 hours to be one—in any field). After they asked me my rate, I blurted out a ridiculous number and they actually agreed to it, I picked myself up off the floor (luckily, this was over the phone), thanked the government official and sat down to think this over: Am I an expert in what I do? Clearly, I've not been doing this for ten years but I have worked in the field for a significant period of time (and picked up a large percentage of those hours while working 80 hour weeks at Lehman Brothers). While I've probably not hit the "expert" mark yet, I was thrilled that someone recognized my passion for career coaching. What's more, I was shocked to know that I was asked to speak just a little over a year since formalizing my company. I feel very flattered and appreciative for this to have occurred.
You may be wondering, ""Emily, this is great but you said this was about goals--did you forget about that?" No, and I'm getting there. Though I likely didn't say it much last year, a goal of mine was to get speaking gigs. Originally, I wanted to network with different organizations and coerce them into letting me speak (typically unpaid since I figured I'd sign up clients and just charge them). I did have a few speaking gigs last year but nothing significant until I started working at The Sullivan Center. I didn't foresee a full-time consulting gig for ReFresh Your Step but signed on once I recognized how doing so would help me grow my company.
Do me a favor--please re-read the last sentence, as it serves to illustrate this point: Goals are a great point on your career map but, as with Mapquest/Google map routes, there's never just one way to get there. Though I didn't fully realize it at the time, signing on to work at The Sullivan Center may not have been an original part of my plan but it did help me to grow—and create additional opportunities for—my business. Rather than taking a direct path to my goal of "having more paid clients and speaking more," I decided to jump off the paved road and meander through the countryside (just a little visualization for you). I got to where I wanted to be and likely saved time avoiding the traffic jam caused by a million other career coaches aiming to get the same speaking gigs.
Shall I be concise at this point? Set your goals, but be flexible in how you get to them. While you may have one set idea of the "best" way to reach said goals, allow that to be your guiding light while you keep your eyes out for alternative paths. They may not always pop up, but knowing that you CAN be flexible may very well help you to recognize those "other" ways when they do appear. You may end up having to take a leap of faith but perhaps that leap is exactly what you need to get to where you want to be.
At this juncture, I have a whole slew of topics for upcoming posts so I hope you continue to check in regularly--they'll be up! Until then, happy goal-setting!
--------
What goals do you have right now? What is your "optimal" way of getting there? Alternatively, what others ways could you reach the goals? Perhaps thinking about the answers to these questions will assist you in figuring out next steps for the future!
Though it's not quite resolution time yet (what with Turkey Day, Chrisnukahwanza and a surplus of sappy holiday commercials left before New Year's Eve), I am putting it out there in cyberspace that I resolve to keep up with my blogging/personal writing more in the future. It's that important to me and I recognize the void I feel since I've not had time to write. Someone please hold me to this, okay? Someone? Anyone?
Now that I've taken care of explaining my absence and promise it won't happen again, I do want to discuss the importance of goal-setting and the ways to handle getting there. First off, let me share a little something personal (and this does relate): Tuesday was a big day for me. On Tuesday, little ol' me walked into a hotel in midtown Atlanta and had the pleasure of presenting a series of employment workshops as part of a larger city-wide initiative. I was actually quite flattered they asked me to present and shocked when they asked what I charge for such things. Charge? As in, they were going to pay me to get up in front of people and talk about something I already know a lot about?
Clearly, I am new at this. However, I think that's what made me so happy about the whole situation. People are paid to speak all the time, but I imagine those people to be, you know, adults. And experts (of which it takes ten years or 10,000 hours to be one—in any field). After they asked me my rate, I blurted out a ridiculous number and they actually agreed to it, I picked myself up off the floor (luckily, this was over the phone), thanked the government official and sat down to think this over: Am I an expert in what I do? Clearly, I've not been doing this for ten years but I have worked in the field for a significant period of time (and picked up a large percentage of those hours while working 80 hour weeks at Lehman Brothers). While I've probably not hit the "expert" mark yet, I was thrilled that someone recognized my passion for career coaching. What's more, I was shocked to know that I was asked to speak just a little over a year since formalizing my company. I feel very flattered and appreciative for this to have occurred.
You may be wondering, ""Emily, this is great but you said this was about goals--did you forget about that?" No, and I'm getting there. Though I likely didn't say it much last year, a goal of mine was to get speaking gigs. Originally, I wanted to network with different organizations and coerce them into letting me speak (typically unpaid since I figured I'd sign up clients and just charge them). I did have a few speaking gigs last year but nothing significant until I started working at The Sullivan Center. I didn't foresee a full-time consulting gig for ReFresh Your Step but signed on once I recognized how doing so would help me grow my company.
Do me a favor--please re-read the last sentence, as it serves to illustrate this point: Goals are a great point on your career map but, as with Mapquest/Google map routes, there's never just one way to get there. Though I didn't fully realize it at the time, signing on to work at The Sullivan Center may not have been an original part of my plan but it did help me to grow—and create additional opportunities for—my business. Rather than taking a direct path to my goal of "having more paid clients and speaking more," I decided to jump off the paved road and meander through the countryside (just a little visualization for you). I got to where I wanted to be and likely saved time avoiding the traffic jam caused by a million other career coaches aiming to get the same speaking gigs.
Shall I be concise at this point? Set your goals, but be flexible in how you get to them. While you may have one set idea of the "best" way to reach said goals, allow that to be your guiding light while you keep your eyes out for alternative paths. They may not always pop up, but knowing that you CAN be flexible may very well help you to recognize those "other" ways when they do appear. You may end up having to take a leap of faith but perhaps that leap is exactly what you need to get to where you want to be.
At this juncture, I have a whole slew of topics for upcoming posts so I hope you continue to check in regularly--they'll be up! Until then, happy goal-setting!
--------
What goals do you have right now? What is your "optimal" way of getting there? Alternatively, what others ways could you reach the goals? Perhaps thinking about the answers to these questions will assist you in figuring out next steps for the future!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Escapism
I used to be a journalist, meaning I followed the world’s news like some people follow the stock market (incidentally, I also followed financial headlines like some people follow the regular news). Perhaps I grew to be more sensitive to current events…or the number of atrocities across the continents just increased exponentially; regardless, I felt constantly barraged by stories of war, famine, terrorism and a startlingly high number of shark attacks. I decided to take a break from obsessing over CNN.com, lest I never travel or go into the ocean ever again.
After going semi-cold-turkey on my news fixation back in 2004, I found that I needed to fill my time with updates about some form of current events and it was around this time that I discovered E! Although I can easily hold a conversation with people about the latest headlines from the around the world, I’m also very happy discussing the god-awful dresses from Sunday’s Oscars.
Aside: Debbie Matenopoulos, if you ever read this and need someone to fill in for you on Fashion Police, please have your people call my people (aka, hit me up on the cell). Same thing goes for you, Giuliana Rancic and E! News.
The truth is, I used to feel somewhat ashamed of my growing interest in the world of celebrity gossip; however, I then realized that though I’ve not yet become a fan of TMZ and I do not have a subscription to US Weekly, keeping up with the latest stories from Tinseltown is my escape from reality.
On a related note, many of my friends and colleagues comment that they think I work 24-7; the truth is, I do work a lot but I have found it increasingly important that I take time away from the many emails, grad school papers, upcoming presentations and other assorted tasks on my to-do list. While I have tapped into my inner diva-wanna-be via E! and other similar outlets, I encourage everyone out there to find what it is that allows he or she to escape from reality and spend some time doing something for fun. Whether it’s a weekly golf game with buddies, shopping with friends, lounging around with a great chick novel or just catching up on American Idol, do it. Drop the ball on your work, spend some time doing something you love (even if you know it’s not the “respectable” thing to do) and take some time for yourself.
You may be wondering why a career coach would a) publically announce her love for Gossip Girl—er, I mean E! (though you now know my other form escapism) and b) encourage other people to do the same. Here’s why: letting work go for awhile and doing something that you enjoy will relax you…and your overworked brain/body. The result? You’ll return to reality with more energy and a brain ready to tackle your to-do list with a renewed sense of vigor.
In the end, all those tasks on your list will be met and accomplished from a healthier mindset…and you’ll still be spending some time doing a few things you truly love to do.
Now for the big question—does anyone else think that Angelina Jolie’s dress at the Oscars was awesome, while Jennifer Aniston’s looked like a four-year-old attacked it with a glitter pen?
---------------
Why else could taking time for your favorite activities be beneficial? What do you like to do to blow off some steam? What changes do you notice when you do and do not take the necessary breaks from work?
After going semi-cold-turkey on my news fixation back in 2004, I found that I needed to fill my time with updates about some form of current events and it was around this time that I discovered E! Although I can easily hold a conversation with people about the latest headlines from the around the world, I’m also very happy discussing the god-awful dresses from Sunday’s Oscars.
Aside: Debbie Matenopoulos, if you ever read this and need someone to fill in for you on Fashion Police, please have your people call my people (aka, hit me up on the cell). Same thing goes for you, Giuliana Rancic and E! News.
The truth is, I used to feel somewhat ashamed of my growing interest in the world of celebrity gossip; however, I then realized that though I’ve not yet become a fan of TMZ and I do not have a subscription to US Weekly, keeping up with the latest stories from Tinseltown is my escape from reality.
On a related note, many of my friends and colleagues comment that they think I work 24-7; the truth is, I do work a lot but I have found it increasingly important that I take time away from the many emails, grad school papers, upcoming presentations and other assorted tasks on my to-do list. While I have tapped into my inner diva-wanna-be via E! and other similar outlets, I encourage everyone out there to find what it is that allows he or she to escape from reality and spend some time doing something for fun. Whether it’s a weekly golf game with buddies, shopping with friends, lounging around with a great chick novel or just catching up on American Idol, do it. Drop the ball on your work, spend some time doing something you love (even if you know it’s not the “respectable” thing to do) and take some time for yourself.
You may be wondering why a career coach would a) publically announce her love for Gossip Girl—er, I mean E! (though you now know my other form escapism) and b) encourage other people to do the same. Here’s why: letting work go for awhile and doing something that you enjoy will relax you…and your overworked brain/body. The result? You’ll return to reality with more energy and a brain ready to tackle your to-do list with a renewed sense of vigor.
In the end, all those tasks on your list will be met and accomplished from a healthier mindset…and you’ll still be spending some time doing a few things you truly love to do.
Now for the big question—does anyone else think that Angelina Jolie’s dress at the Oscars was awesome, while Jennifer Aniston’s looked like a four-year-old attacked it with a glitter pen?
---------------
Why else could taking time for your favorite activities be beneficial? What do you like to do to blow off some steam? What changes do you notice when you do and do not take the necessary breaks from work?
Monday, February 16, 2009
Pressure Cooker
In the last few months, I have thought an awful lot about the definition of success. Sadly, the internal discussion has resulted in an increase of stress in my external life. I am writing today's post to clear up my own thoughts on success and perhaps gauge yours as well.
It seems to me that some people believe success is based on one's net worth. "Oh, sure, of course he's successful--have you seen his house? And he drives a Bentley!" Externally, a person who fits this quick description would appear to be successful, correct? Perhaps he (or she) also believes himself to be successful...until he considers the rest of his life and how he would trade at least some of the "benjamins in his bank account" (that could be a rap song) to find a lasting relationship.
Actually, I could list other various definitions of success but have decided to stick with the financial one for now. I was thinking last week about a colleague's ideas on success. She is interested in working with people who meet her financial measuring stick (in this case, the clients must make at least a million dollars). Perhaps I'm simply jealous that I can't be a client (kidding!) but this irks me for some reason. I spent a few days in the last month trying to pinpoint my issues with this particular person's business plan and it hit me one night: she views success in such a one-dimensional way and the fact is, that so many hard-working individuals who are successful in their own right would not even be considered for my colleague’s consulting firm. Now, I understand from an entrepreneurial perspective that a business person has a right to choose his or her own niche, but I do believe the defining success solely on a person’s bank account just seems downright harsh.
The truth is, success is relative—relative to each person’s unique situation, characteristics, experiences and goals. My definition of success will not be the same as yours, or the guy in the car next to you or the woman sitting at the table next to you at dinner on Saturday night. However, that’s what makes each of us exceptional —my goals are unique to me and my life but as long as I strive to accomplish those goals, I am successful. That’s correct: “so long as I strive”, as opposed to “so long as I reach” those goals is exactly what I meant to type. Perhaps this is only my opinion (again, a belief relative to my own perspective), but success is not necessarily about actually BEING successful at any one thing; rather, it’s about actually going for what moves you to action.
Another colleague (different from the one discussed above) asked me the other day when I would deem myself a successful coach. As I am usually ready with an answer at a moment’s notice, I was shocked to open my mouth and no words came tumbling out. I thought for a moment or two, half wondering if I should give an answer ticking off a number of clients and book deals that would make me feel successful. Though I knew this would likely be the typical answer, I instead chose to answer her with what I really felt to be MY truth.
“My success will be based on the triumphs of my clients,” I replied. “As my clients accomplish what he or she set out to do, and hopefully many times over for each one, I will feel a little more successful as a coach. It’s not about the money, it’s not about the number of clients or book deals…it’s about advocating for my clients’ successes, whatever those goals may be.”
---------------------------
No, I do not have a nice Riesling to go with that cheese! I do, however, have a few questions for you: how do you define success? What does it look like for you? How do you think that picture will change over the next few years? Is it possible to define it your personal way and have a different answer ready for society?
It seems to me that some people believe success is based on one's net worth. "Oh, sure, of course he's successful--have you seen his house? And he drives a Bentley!" Externally, a person who fits this quick description would appear to be successful, correct? Perhaps he (or she) also believes himself to be successful...until he considers the rest of his life and how he would trade at least some of the "benjamins in his bank account" (that could be a rap song) to find a lasting relationship.
Actually, I could list other various definitions of success but have decided to stick with the financial one for now. I was thinking last week about a colleague's ideas on success. She is interested in working with people who meet her financial measuring stick (in this case, the clients must make at least a million dollars). Perhaps I'm simply jealous that I can't be a client (kidding!) but this irks me for some reason. I spent a few days in the last month trying to pinpoint my issues with this particular person's business plan and it hit me one night: she views success in such a one-dimensional way and the fact is, that so many hard-working individuals who are successful in their own right would not even be considered for my colleague’s consulting firm. Now, I understand from an entrepreneurial perspective that a business person has a right to choose his or her own niche, but I do believe the defining success solely on a person’s bank account just seems downright harsh.
The truth is, success is relative—relative to each person’s unique situation, characteristics, experiences and goals. My definition of success will not be the same as yours, or the guy in the car next to you or the woman sitting at the table next to you at dinner on Saturday night. However, that’s what makes each of us exceptional —my goals are unique to me and my life but as long as I strive to accomplish those goals, I am successful. That’s correct: “so long as I strive”, as opposed to “so long as I reach” those goals is exactly what I meant to type. Perhaps this is only my opinion (again, a belief relative to my own perspective), but success is not necessarily about actually BEING successful at any one thing; rather, it’s about actually going for what moves you to action.
Another colleague (different from the one discussed above) asked me the other day when I would deem myself a successful coach. As I am usually ready with an answer at a moment’s notice, I was shocked to open my mouth and no words came tumbling out. I thought for a moment or two, half wondering if I should give an answer ticking off a number of clients and book deals that would make me feel successful. Though I knew this would likely be the typical answer, I instead chose to answer her with what I really felt to be MY truth.
“My success will be based on the triumphs of my clients,” I replied. “As my clients accomplish what he or she set out to do, and hopefully many times over for each one, I will feel a little more successful as a coach. It’s not about the money, it’s not about the number of clients or book deals…it’s about advocating for my clients’ successes, whatever those goals may be.”
---------------------------
No, I do not have a nice Riesling to go with that cheese! I do, however, have a few questions for you: how do you define success? What does it look like for you? How do you think that picture will change over the next few years? Is it possible to define it your personal way and have a different answer ready for society?
Monday, January 26, 2009
The Powerful Truth
January 26th, 2009 may henceforth be known as Bloody Monday or Job Massacre Monday: according to CNN.com and a few other sources, 71,400 job losses were announced today. I wish there was an extra zero in there or I had simply typed it incorrectly but no: seventy-one THOUSAND four-hundred job cuts were announced in one day.
Boggles the mind, doesn't it?
Here are a few of the Fortune 500 companies that announced layoffs today (with the number of jobs in parentheses):
-Caterpillar (20,000)
-Pfizer--pre-merger (8,190)
-Pfizer/Wyeth--post-merger (18,000)
-Sprint Nextel (8,000)
-Home Depot (7,000).
For the unabridged list, please click here:
Economists, such as Rebecca Braeu at John Hancock Financial Services, predict that this is "the tip of the iceberg" when it comes to massive layoffs at other major companies (please click here for the article).
If this grim prediction doesn't frighten you and send you running for cover, then continue reading (if you're already shaking in your boots and/or have already lost your job, I suggest turning on fluff TV for a few minutes, as it does wonders for lightening the mood. A personal favorite is Gossip Girl). Still there? How courageous! Here goes: By some analysts' projections, the unemployment rate could potentially hit 10 percent by later this year or next year.
Ready to check out of 2009 and re-join the human race/working world in 2010? Before doing so, I ask you to consider this oft-used but ever-true aphorism:
Knowledge is power.
Yes, you may lose your job this year (if you have not lost it already). No, you may not get a bonus or a pay-raise, no matter how much you've earned and deserved it. Finally, yes, the more you know about what may happen and how you can handle it, the better off you will be in the long run.
Often, people are well aware of what may happen in the real world but believe that by ignoring it, the real world will exist without them in it. I am guilty of succumbing to this situation (Gossip Girl, remember?); however, while it's a temporary salve for maintaining one's sanity in the face of hardship, perhaps it may be advantageous to admit challenges in the road ahead and do what's necessary to prepare for them.
At this time, I suggest writing down (or at least thinking about) your particular situation: Do you still have a position? If so, do you think it's safe? If you feel that you may lose your job, what can you do to either save it or how can you prepare for the job search? If you've already lost your job, have you started looking for new positions yet and, if so, how is it going so far?
In answering these questions, what strategies may help you as you move forward? Have you thought about the benefits of re-branding yourself and your current experience? Also, have you set mini-goals as you reached for a bigger goal (career or non-career related)? The bottom line is the more you know about where you are now and how it fits into the larger realm, the better of you'll be in preparing for the future.
At this stage of the game (if you can really call the economic/job crisis/recession a game, in which case it would be "Trouble"), knowledge really is power. You can continue living in the make-believe world of "If I don't think about it, it won't happen to me" or you can realize that the real world may very well come knocking one day and the more you've prepared yourself and your strategy, the better off you'll be. That strategy may evolve as circumstances change but self-awareness will go a long way in staying afloat throughout the Job Massacre that will be 2009.
------------------------
How are you faring with the current job market? Have you thought about what strategies may work for you as you move forward? Have you thought about how coaching help you change your perspective and assist in goal-setting as well as re-branding?
Boggles the mind, doesn't it?
Here are a few of the Fortune 500 companies that announced layoffs today (with the number of jobs in parentheses):
-Caterpillar (20,000)
-Pfizer--pre-merger (8,190)
-Pfizer/Wyeth--post-merger (18,000)
-Sprint Nextel (8,000)
-Home Depot (7,000).
For the unabridged list, please click here:
Economists, such as Rebecca Braeu at John Hancock Financial Services, predict that this is "the tip of the iceberg" when it comes to massive layoffs at other major companies (please click here for the article).
If this grim prediction doesn't frighten you and send you running for cover, then continue reading (if you're already shaking in your boots and/or have already lost your job, I suggest turning on fluff TV for a few minutes, as it does wonders for lightening the mood. A personal favorite is Gossip Girl). Still there? How courageous! Here goes: By some analysts' projections, the unemployment rate could potentially hit 10 percent by later this year or next year.
Ready to check out of 2009 and re-join the human race/working world in 2010? Before doing so, I ask you to consider this oft-used but ever-true aphorism:
Knowledge is power.
Yes, you may lose your job this year (if you have not lost it already). No, you may not get a bonus or a pay-raise, no matter how much you've earned and deserved it. Finally, yes, the more you know about what may happen and how you can handle it, the better off you will be in the long run.
Often, people are well aware of what may happen in the real world but believe that by ignoring it, the real world will exist without them in it. I am guilty of succumbing to this situation (Gossip Girl, remember?); however, while it's a temporary salve for maintaining one's sanity in the face of hardship, perhaps it may be advantageous to admit challenges in the road ahead and do what's necessary to prepare for them.
At this time, I suggest writing down (or at least thinking about) your particular situation: Do you still have a position? If so, do you think it's safe? If you feel that you may lose your job, what can you do to either save it or how can you prepare for the job search? If you've already lost your job, have you started looking for new positions yet and, if so, how is it going so far?
In answering these questions, what strategies may help you as you move forward? Have you thought about the benefits of re-branding yourself and your current experience? Also, have you set mini-goals as you reached for a bigger goal (career or non-career related)? The bottom line is the more you know about where you are now and how it fits into the larger realm, the better of you'll be in preparing for the future.
At this stage of the game (if you can really call the economic/job crisis/recession a game, in which case it would be "Trouble"), knowledge really is power. You can continue living in the make-believe world of "If I don't think about it, it won't happen to me" or you can realize that the real world may very well come knocking one day and the more you've prepared yourself and your strategy, the better off you'll be. That strategy may evolve as circumstances change but self-awareness will go a long way in staying afloat throughout the Job Massacre that will be 2009.
------------------------
How are you faring with the current job market? Have you thought about what strategies may work for you as you move forward? Have you thought about how coaching help you change your perspective and assist in goal-setting as well as re-branding?
Friday, January 9, 2009
Job Loss & Jerry Maguire
From today's Wall Street Journal: "The economy lost 2.6 million jobs in 2008, government figures showed, the most since World War II ended in 1945. Nearly two million of those losses were in the last four months alone, a sign that the recession accelerated as the financial crisis intensified, and should drag on well into the new year" (see below for the full article).
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123150742539367897.html?mod=djemalertNEWS
One might look at the title to today's post and wonder how I might actually link job loss to the movie Jerry Maguire, though I will go ahead and say that it has nothing to do with crazed movie actors jumping on couches and/or screaming at Matt Lauer (I don't recommend either, especially if you'd like to maintain your job and/or dignity).
Rather, I was watching Jerry Maguire the other night when one of the movie's more notable scenes popped up. Recall, if you will, Tom Cruise (fully-clothed) and Cuba Gooding, Jr. (sans clothing) in the football locker room and Cruise's stressed out character starts to lose it with Gooding Jr.'s demanding one. As the two begin bickering forth, Maguire spits out the following line:
"Help me help you," he says. "Help ME help YOU!"
I shut off the TV after that scene but the line stayed with me. Help me help you. Though the movie suggests a different connotation, I believe there is another interpreation--one this strongly linked to the very foundation of coaching.
As a coach, my primary goal is to work with my clients to help them discover whatever it is that would make their lives happier and more balanced. However, the client must truly be open for this kind of relationship; i.e., he or she must allow the coach to really help.
For our generation, at least, this is a time of unprecedented job uncertainty and while the situation is a cause of concern for many people, others are using the time to look inward and figure out what they they'd like to be doing in the long-term. Although unemployement is on the rise, so is the number of people turning to coaches looking for long-term career help. The coaches at ReFresh Your Step are here to help you look through the murky present and into a bright future.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123150742539367897.html?mod=djemalertNEWS
One might look at the title to today's post and wonder how I might actually link job loss to the movie Jerry Maguire, though I will go ahead and say that it has nothing to do with crazed movie actors jumping on couches and/or screaming at Matt Lauer (I don't recommend either, especially if you'd like to maintain your job and/or dignity).
Rather, I was watching Jerry Maguire the other night when one of the movie's more notable scenes popped up. Recall, if you will, Tom Cruise (fully-clothed) and Cuba Gooding, Jr. (sans clothing) in the football locker room and Cruise's stressed out character starts to lose it with Gooding Jr.'s demanding one. As the two begin bickering forth, Maguire spits out the following line:
"Help me help you," he says. "Help ME help YOU!"
I shut off the TV after that scene but the line stayed with me. Help me help you. Though the movie suggests a different connotation, I believe there is another interpreation--one this strongly linked to the very foundation of coaching.
As a coach, my primary goal is to work with my clients to help them discover whatever it is that would make their lives happier and more balanced. However, the client must truly be open for this kind of relationship; i.e., he or she must allow the coach to really help.
For our generation, at least, this is a time of unprecedented job uncertainty and while the situation is a cause of concern for many people, others are using the time to look inward and figure out what they they'd like to be doing in the long-term. Although unemployement is on the rise, so is the number of people turning to coaches looking for long-term career help. The coaches at ReFresh Your Step are here to help you look through the murky present and into a bright future.
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