Is Your Job Making You Sick?

Is your job making you feel sick?  How many days of work have you missed this past year?  How many more would you have skipped if you didn’t absolutely have to go in that day? 

These may be signs that you are ready to leave the place you work and find a new career that is right for you.  You know, one that will respond to that incessant voice in your head saying you should be doing something ‘else’.  Many people know they are in the wrong job, but really don’t know what else to do.  Are you one of these people?

I refer to this as “cognizant ignorance.”  You are keenly aware of a calling inside of you, but you are not quite sure what it is.   You have no clear definition of what you are supposed to be doing, although you are quite certain you are not doing it, whatever that ‘it’ is.

The secret to successful change is awareness.  We are always  receiving messages and information letting us know when things are not right.  Disagree?  Have you ever had something happen and afterward exclaimed:  “I knew that was going to happen!”  How, exactly, did you know?  You knew because your entire being, mind, body and soul, is taking in information incessantly.  However, all of those billions of pieces of information are being filtered by your non-conscious mind so your conscious mind is able to function.  If you had to consciously sort through and determine what to do with all those bits of information, you would go mad.

When change is something that will be to our benefit, we begin to get a sense or signs of what that change should be.  This is information coming up from our non-conscious stash of intelligence.  We are able to tap into the filtered information through focus and awareness.  When you get a “feeling” or something comes up frequently that is telling you it’s time, start to focus on that.  You will find more information, support and opportunities will start to come your way.  You will indeed get the answers you need.

Don’t let your job make you sick.  Recognize this as an intellectual ‘tap’ to become aware of what you need to do to get on the right path to your job success and personal transformation.

I welcome your comments on this and my other blogs.  If you would like more information about making a career change, visit my website:  www.clearpathway.com and opt in for my weekly e-zine “Path Light”

 

Client Attraction Made Easy: How To Quickly Go From Little Or No Clients To A FULL Practice.

Are you someone who’s just starting out, wanting to ramp up your business a bit more? Get some additional re-venues coming in, consistently? You’re not the only one.

In fact, there are lots of entrepreneurs out there looking for solid marketing strategies, to get more clients and make more, just like you. You want some direct coaching from the best – not just from a book. Without it, you don’t have as much accountability, you’re not implementing what you’re learning fast enough, you’re getting overwhelmed and frustrated.

Well, there’s actually a solution for that.

Fabienne Fredrickson, The Client Attraction Mentor, is hosting a no-charge 90-minute content-filled coaching call where she’ll share her proven system for attracting ALL the clients you need and want.

Here’s the link to sign up:
https://attraction.infusionsoft.com/go/Bootcamp/lingchi/

It’s all happening Wednesday November 4th at 8pm EST. To join me for this one-time-only call, just register below and you’ll get details right away.

Will you join me? I can’t wait to see what she shares (she always gives so much):
https://attraction.infusionsoft.com/go/Bootcamp/lingchi/

 

What Was Your Favorite Job?

Remember that job you really enjoyed?

One of the first statements from a new client is that they would love to do something different, if they only knew what it was.  I assure them, deep inside, they really do know what they want, but we have to excavate for it.

It has been shown that the average working American will have three to five careers and between 10 to 12 jobs during his or her lifetime.  Some of these jobs will obviously be more memorable than others. A powerful exercise we do to bring out their best is to walk down memory lane. Think back over your jobs and remember which was your favorite.

I, personally, held ten different jobs prior to opening Clear Pathway, but my favorite contract, prior to coaching full time, was a big construction project here in Connecticut.  I managed an office for the developers’ representatives on the project.  The purpose of this office was to act as liaison and oversee the construction contractor, while watching out for the owner’s interests.

This was my favorite job because I was free to use my best skills, shine in the workplace and be with some amazing people!  Because I was working in an environment, I loved, doing work I was good at and enjoying every minute of it, my self esteem grew, my ideas exploded and overall I was a happier person.

Now, I can draw upon that experience and use it as a guideline for how I work now and in the future. Also, the experience shows me what things I will avoid.  This is what you will gain from taking notes about your favorite job.

List your favorite job and details about why you loved working there, what you did and what you gained from the experience.  Really capture every aspect the experience, the type of people you worked with and around; what the work environment looked like; what sounds did you hear; how did you feel? Look at the keys and ideas you discover as clues to lead to your true potential.

I welcome your comments on this and my other blogs.  If you would like more information about making a career change, visit my website:  www.clearpathway.com and opt in for my weekly e-zine “Path Light”

 

Get Your Support System in Place for Your Career Change

Have you ever said:  “I’ve got to get out of this job and do something else!” Many people stay locked in jobs that bring them no joy, no fulfillment, but they stay because they feel they must.  Perhaps they are waiting for the children to finish college, the economy to change, or chance to show its hand. The time to plot your escape is NOW!

Start by getting the framework into place so that as you go through the process of changing your career, you have support to keep you going.

Frustrations and loosing your motivation while you are going through a career change are typical emotions, and  it is definitely something that will have to be acknowledged and worked through.  If you do not honor your natural feelings about change, eventually you will hold yourself back.

As you are going through this unsettled time of career change, it is important to develop a good support system.  While sometimes it may seem like it, you are not alone.  Many of the people you know will be part of your systems.  Additionally there are professionals, such as coaches and consultants, as well as agencies in your area.

Create a support matrix for yourself.  Not every person or agency will be a good advocate for your every need.  Let’s face it, sometimes it’s easier to talk to your buddy about a frustration than it is with your close partner.  Likewise, you will probably get better career advice from a professional than you would from your teenage daughter.

Make a list of those around you who advocate your efforts.  List spouses/partners, friends, colleagues, former employers, etc.  Also look at some professional support.  These may include, your coach, a counselor, your doctor, and others.

Now we will identify where you believe each will supply the best support to you and make note of this next to their name.  For instance, your brother works as a department head of his company and often interview people.  He would be a good resource to support you and give advice when you are meeting people and interviewing.  Your significant other believes that you can do anything and wants you to be happy.  This would be an appropriate person to help motivate you and give you overall encouragement.

You can then use this list to let those around you know what type of encouragement you will be needing from them.  People are always willing to help, and both you and others will benefit when they know what you expect from them.

Finally, be sure you appreciate their support and let them know it!

As always, your comments on this blog are appreciated!  For more thoughts and insights, sign up for my weekly e-zine “Path Light” by visiting: www.clearpathway.com and opt in.

 

How do You Measure Your Job Change Success?

When changing careers and seeking out the right job for you, it’s easy to avoid the work necessary to achieve your goals and do something, anything, else.  Rather than going to an association meeting, well, there’s this interesting game on the web.  You may have gone a long time without a single job offer, so why bother?

One of the biggest obstacles my coaching clients encounter is keeping themselves motivated and progressing.  This most often happens to those who do not keep a log or journal of progress.

Finding a job is a job in and of itself.  In order to successfully transition into a new position, you must create a plan and do the work necessary to achieve this goal.  Having a plan will help to keep you motivated, and keep you from “spinning your wheels.”

As a coach, I talk a lot about goals. They are a crucial part of any successful endeavor.  There are a lot of different ways to view goals and just as many proponents of specific means to set your goals.  I believe that the method should be personalized, but contain some particular elements.

Those elements are: the goal should be as specific as possible, be given a time line, and have measurable steps or milestones.  Once these components are covered, the real work begins.  The next step is to take action, as soon as possible, to begin the process.  Without action, your goals are merely wishes.

Once action has been taken, it is important to keep track of that action and any progress made.  Humans have a tendency to forget these details, and soon the enthusiasm of achieving success runs low.  With a record of how far you have come, that spark can be re-lit with a review of your accomplishments and giving yourself credit where it is due.

Finally, celebrate all your successes, no matter how small.  You deserve acclaim, you’ve worked hard!

For more thoughts and insights, sign up for my weekly e-zine “Path Light” by visiting: www.clearpathway.com and opting in.

 

10 Blunders that Mess Up a Job Interview

Don’t Blow the Interview With One of These Mistakes!

An interview can be a nerve wracking event.  You want the job and yet here you are feeling that having to sell yourself while your knees are knocking.

With a little preparation, the interview will go smoothly.  However,  some words of advice so you don’t cut off your chances before you even get started.  Here are my top ten mistakes candidates make during the interview and how to avoid them:

1 – Lack of Research – Once you have made the appointment for an interview, it is vitally important to research the company as much as possible.  Visit their website and read the mission statement.  This will provide a lot of information about where this company wants to go.  Take a road trip and drive to the facility.  The knowledge you gain will demonstrate to your interviewer that you are interested in becoming a part of the overall organization.

2 – Dressing inappropriately – First impressions do matter!  Your appearance will speak volumes about you.  Don’t damage your chances of being hired by showing up in clothing that is too casual.  Even if you know that the firm allows employees to wear jeans, demonstrate your professionalism and dress in neat, professional clothing.

3 – Badmouthing anyone – Whether you are talking about a past employer, customers or competition, the fastest way to ruin your prospects is to state your ill feelings about someone.  During the interview, your disrespect for others will only make you look bad because the interviewer will assume that you would speak badly of him or her.  No matter how reasonable your complaints may be, always stand prepared to put a positive spin on all your experiences.

4 – Lying – Plain and simple, don’t do it.  If you are lying about your abilities, it will be discovered all too easily.  If the topic of discussion during the interview turns toward something you are not knowledgeable about, admit you don’t know the answer, but then explain how you would go about obtaining the information.  This will demonstrate your abilities to come up with solutions and really think on your feet, not just cover up.

5 – Lacking enthusiasm – Interviewers want to hire someone with energy and enthusiasm for their work.  No matter how boring your past position might have been, showing you are passionate about your work goes a long way to push you to the top of the list.

6 – Not knowing yourself – If everything else is right, but you are unsure of your own skills and talents, you could very well lose the position based on your own lack of this knowledge.  It is never expected that someone would be able to jump into a new job knowing how to do everything, but knowing how you will respond and your best patterns of work are vital to learning and fitting in.  Take the time to identify your abilities and be prepared to present them.

7 – Talking too much or too little – Everyone is nervous during and interview.  However, a great deal of the decision is based on the impressions you leave.  Taking too long answering a question implies that you can’t get to the point or make a decision.  Not talking enough implies you may be covering up or are unable to step up and accomplish the necessary tasks. Practice answering questions by role playing before your interview.

8 – Failing to show why you are the best candidate – Gain information about the position you are being interviewed for,  so you can let the interviewer know specifically how your skills, abilities, experience and attributes would make you the best candidate for the job.

9 – Failing to ask for the job – When the interview is completed, express your interest position and ask what the next step is.

10 – Not following up – Always send a letter of thanks to the interviewer,  reiterate why you are the best candidate, and once again express your interest in the position.

For more thoughts and insights, sign up for my weekly e-zine “Path Light” by visiting: www.clearpathway.com and opting in.

 

Getting and Keeping Going!

“If you want to be truly successful, invest in yourself to get the knoweldge you need to find your unique factor.  When you find it and focus on it and persevere your success will blossom.” ~ Sidney Madwed

The task of finding or changing work can seem like a long and dauntless task.  The incentive to start flares up and then seems to die and fade just like a fire that has had fuel thrown on it.  A career transition is not a sprint, it is an endurance run.  I have clients come to me excited about making changes, full of anticipation about possibilities and ready to use their energy for transition.  However, after a few months of personal excavation, constant expense of vigor to network and research, and overcoming various frustrations, some clients fall on the wayside and want to give up the process. 

 No one can predict how long a career transition will take, but there are a few factors which can be viewed beforehand so you don’t get disappointed from expectations that are not realisitic.  One of the first things to look at is your particular perspective on time.  Time is a morphing, almost unidentifiable thing that seemingly changes depending on the circumstances surrounding it. 

As an example, have you ever been so immersed in a project that when you eventually break, you are shocked at how much time has passed?  Your inner clock thought that only an hour or so was used, but you find that several hours have passed.  Conversely, have you ever sat and waited for an overdue phone call from a loved one while wondering if they are safe or okay?  Those same few hours seem endless and moments drag on with a vengeance. 

In either of these occassions, time itself is still ticking off at 60 seconds per minute.  The only difference is where you are focused during the episode.  When you were immersed in your project, you were in the flow, enjoying the process, and totally in tuned with what you were doing.  Athletes refer to this as being in “the zone,”  where your very being is in tune with your performance. 

In the second scenario, where you are waiting for a call and time drags,  your concerns are causing your body to build tension, your thoughts are scattered to many possible outcomes, and impatience keeps part of  you focused on time.  This stressful incident causes your perspective of time to slow to a snail’s pace.

How does this relate to making a career transition?  Well, it relates depending upon where your focus lies.  When it seems that things are moving slowly and you are not seeing results for your efforts, you are focusing on your outcomes and not on the process.  I encourage my clients to keep a journal of the process.  When they come to the point in their journey where the initial rush of excitement slows, then they can refer to this journal for evidence of all they have gained in the process.  Any major transition in life must start by learning more about ourselves and then this knowledge can be transferred into the transitional development.  The shift comes from within first and then may be expressed outwardly.

If you feel bogged down, take some time to reflect on how far you have come.  Do not make judgement on this as to whether you “should” be further along in your journey or if you think you are not moving fast enough.  Just notice and acknowledge your progress, what you have learned and how this process has provided new insights for you.  Now, look back to how you felt at the beginning of this path.  Were you anxious, angry, fearful?  Have you worked through some of these feelings and gained strength?  Giving yourself  credit will enable you to look forward and take more steps.  With each step you will be a little bit closer to your goals and every step brings you more into alignment with your authentic self realization.  Congratulations!

For more thoughts and insights, sign up for my weekly e-zine by visiting: www.clearpathway.com and opt in!

 

Why Do You Want a New Career?

Why are you thinking about changing your career?  

Do you want to create and grow, step up, or just survive?

 

We all have reasons for doing things.  The most successful people have the strongest reasons why they do what they do.  If one of your children needed a medical treatment that would keep them healthy thereafter, would you find a means of coming up with the necessary money?  You bet you would!  This is because your love for your children and their well being is an extremely strong incentive to you, there would be no question of your success in raising the needed money.

Not every decision is life or death, but when you have a strong reason why you are doing something, keeping your momentum and not becoming complacent is much easier.  There is always incentive to move forward, even when the going gets tough. 

 Take some time to think about why you want to make a career transition.  There are hundreds of reasons people change careers or jobs.  Some ideas may be:  for more money, freedom with your time, creative release, less stress, a better atmosphere.  What are your reasons.  Jot down a few notes on your thoughts.

 Now that you have defined a basic reasons why you want to change your career, it’s time to expand those reasons.  Your “why” must become so compelling, that when you are discouraged, your “why” will pick you up.  When everything seems to be going wrong, your “why” will straighten the road. 

 When you have a success, your “why” will share the joy. 

Connect your why to a tangible item – focus and hold / touch something this is or represents your “why.”  Every time you touch that thing you will think of your why and continually impress it upon your mind and through touch – it will be your anchor.  (Type in a visualization technique triggered by the tangible item)

Visually create a vision board or power point screen saver to reiterate the “why.”  Spend time looking at your vision and conjure up the feelings you will have when it is attained.  Keep the visual reminder where it is seen frequently to ingrain the reasons

Write your story to the world expressing your gratitude that you had your “why” to keep you going through all the tough times.  This is your Oscar acceptance speech.  Print it on an index card and keep it with you, post it in your car and on your bathroom mirror so you can read it and hear the encouragement speaking in your mind to keep you focused and moving forward

Tap into a specific piece of music, or record your acceptance speech so you may listen to the rhythm and the lilt of your voice to implant to sound of your “why.”  Play it over a few times every day as your reminder

Knowing why you are making this career transition for the better, and giving yourself the appropriate tools to make your personal reasons intrinsic to this process, will be a strong aid to you when you need it.  Perhaps this will be the one main difference between victory and defeat.

For more thoughts and insights, sign up for my weekly e-zine by visiting: www.clearpathway.com and opt in!

 

Is Now the Time to Discover Your New Career?

done

 

How’s the view from your office desk?

Wow!  June is coming to a close and what a year it has been.  Over the past year we have seen gas prices go from $4.50 a gallon down to under $2.00.  People who felt they had earned job security through their years of loyalty, discovered a harsh reality.  No longer does hard work and good employment records seem to carry the weight of years past.  The view from the office desk has changed radically.

People everywhere have made adjustments and begun to view daily life a little differently.  Many are making budget adjustments, some are cutting back in case the need arises, savings accounts are being built once again, and family has become a focal point.

How have you changed your viewpoint over the past year?  Are you living in fear of losing your job?  Are you beginning to think that if there is no security anyway, why shouldn’t I  go someplace else or do something different?  If these are your thoughts, you are not alone!

It is time to realize that so much of your time doing something that doesn’t make you, personally, very happy, is a waste of life.  The biggest excuse I used to hear from clients was that they found it hard to leave the security of a position that pays well even though the work is draining them.  With this false security removed,  more people are ready to make the adjustment to live a life on purpose and doing work that is right for them.

Mind you, this is a journey, and not one to be taken lightly.  The only person in your life who can weigh the risks and rewards between staying in a steady position, or taking the plunge, stepping out and listening to you heart is you.  I know you have heard it.  You have heard that voice in your head telling you that you could be so much more, do so much more, be so much happier in another job.  Sooner or later, that voice won’t just be talking to you, it will be shouting at you!

Now that's an office with a view!

The call becomes louder, the longer you ignore it.  It will keep calling until you do one of two things, you decide that you will not heed it and tell it to stop, or you begin to step onto the path that leads to your personal fulfillment.

Why wait?  Start to discover your true calling now.  You will have so much more to give to the world around you when you are on the right track.  What have you got to lose for trying?  You have nothing to lose, but everything to gain. You will gain a beautiful view from your desk, one that you created and is just right for you!

For more thoughts and insights, sign up for my weekly e-zine by visiting: www.clearpathway.com and opt in!