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Lately, I've been thinking about the concept of "waiting". Waiting is one of the built-in aspects of being in a period of transition. We all go through transition periods at different times in our lives. Many of us are in transition right now.
What are we waiting for? Could be almost anything. Waiting for good news, waiting for bad news. Waiting for the economy to get better, for the stock market to go up, for the unemployment rate to go down, for the axe to fall on a job, for the outcome of a job interview, for school to start or end, for the next exam, for the results of a lab test, for the next date, for a proposal, for a special event or the next holiday, for a sale to go through, for a mortgage approval, for a baby to be born, for that check to arrive in the mail, for the weather to change, for your life to change in some wonderful way, small or large. Perhaps we are waiting for life to begin (literally or figuratively) or waiting for it to end. Waiting for nothing. Waiting for Godot.
Robert Grudin (author of Time and the Art of Living) is quoted as saying: In the landscape of time, there are few locations less comfortable than that of one who waits for some person or event to arrive at some unknown moment in the future.
Yes, waiting is often uncomfortable. Sometimes waiting creates happy, excited feelings, perhaps a sense of delicious anticipation. More often, it leads to more uncomfortable emotions: nervousness, anxiety, fear, sadness, impatience, frustration, or boredom. Yet it is these very feelings that eventually move us through a waiting period and into action.
I think of waiting as comparable to the chrysalis stage of the butterfly life cycle, the butterfly being a creature who has left the land of the known (the caterpillar stage) and is quietly going through a period of intense change and transformation (pupation) - a period in which the creature is quite fluid and formless and the end result is as yet unknown. What will emerge, we all know, will be a butterfly or moth. But the creature does not know this, and all it can do is wait.
Is waiting a passive event? No, not usually. Though change during a waiting period is often internal and not always obvious to the casual observer, it IS happening and often at an accelerated rate. Think of the cocoon of a butterfly again. When viewed from the outside, no change is apparent. But if you could see through to the inside, you would see that huge transformational changes are taking place. It is often that way for humans too.
Anna Nagle writes: But the most important thing about learning to wait, I feel sure, is to know what you are waiting for.
Ah, this can be a sticky point, yes? Sometimes we do know exactly what we are waiting for: the next bus, train or plane, the doctor's appointment, our favorite TV show to come on, the baby to arrive. But other times, things are not so clear and we are not so sure. Perhaps we are waiting for our life to get better, but we don't know what that means. Or we're waiting for a better job opportunity, though we haven't figured out what we really want to do with our work lives. Or maybe we're waiting for Prince (or Princess) Charming to come riding up and sweep us off our feet, though we have no idea who we would want that person to be or what "happily ever after" might look like, if, in fact, it exists at all and we were lucky enough to live it.
Nagle has a point. A productive way to move through this waiting time is to get as clear as we can about what it is we are waiting for. We may not get exactly what we are wanting, but we will have a better shot at it. And sometimes, the thing we think we want is not really what we want, and what we ultimately get is often better than anything we could have imagined.
So, how might we use this waiting period to get clearer? We might be in the waiting room of a doctor's office and read a magazine article that speaks eloquently to some change we are making. We might be between jobs and take that opportunity to re-assess our values, priorities, skills, and interests and then choose a new career path. We might be approaching a life stage transition - perhaps graduation or empty nest or the approach of retirement - and use that time to research options and perhaps re-invent ourselves and create a new lifestyle or career direction.
Another opportunity within a waiting period is to take the time not only for inner reflection and change but also for cleaning up the external unfinished business in your life - the clutter, the undone projects, the completion of unresolved relationships, the overdue items on your mental or actual To Do lists.
And yet another way to move through the waiting period is to do things that prepare you for whatever it is that is there for you at the end of the waiting period. The Wayside Pulpit at a local church currently displays this quote: When those who fish cannot go to sea, they mend nets. [Book of Runes, adapted].
So, mend your nets - get the room ready for your expected baby, learn new computer skills for the job you're hoping to get, buy a new outfit for the next eHarmony date, practice your songs while you wait for the recital date, read up on your field, take off that extra weight, eat nutritious food, get more exercise, sleep well, write in your journal, meditate.
The waiting periods of our life are inevitable and necessary. They are periods of rest, renewal, regrouping, time-outs, introspection, completion, creativity, re-invention, and transformation. They are not wasted times. On the contrary, they are often times that provide great growth - sometimes quantum transformational leaps. (Remember the butterfly!)
One day, the waiting will be over - this time around, anyway. What will be the outcome? Will it be what we expected or not? Will it be what we wanted and hoped for, or what we dreaded and feared? Will it be an ending or a beginning? Or both? We cannot know until the time comes. Nothing serves us better during these waiting times than patience, trust and a positive outlook - an inner confidence or "knowing" that all will hapen at the right time and will turn out for the best.
One thing seems certain: there are two things that will tip the scales in favor of getting what we are waiting and hoping for: gratitude and receptivity - gratitude for what we have learned or gained during the waiting period as well as for whatever it is that comes to us, and the openness of heart, mind, and spirit that invites the best possible outcomes.
Sarah Ben Breathnach writes, Whatever we are waiting for - peace of mind, contentment, grace, the inner awareness of simple abundance - it will surely come to us, but only when we are ready to receive it with an open and grateful heart.
Whatever you are waiting for, may it bless your life and bring you peace.
Showing posts with label Career Coaching. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Career Coaching. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Job Search Series: A Job Search is Entrepreneurial
If you are, or ever have been, self-employed, you will instantly recognize the truth in this statement: A job search is entrepreneurial.
If you are not, and never have been, self-employed and you are currently involved in a job search - or expect be be soon - then this is your opportunity to experience the world of the self-employed and see how it fits for you.
How is the job search comparable to entrepreneurship? Here are the top three ways:
1. Visualization. An entrepreneur is a Visionary. He/she must pull together a long-term vision and plan in order to define what is wanted and how it will be achieved. A job seeker must do the same. The first step in a job search is to decide what type of job you are seeking - to identify a field, or fields, of interest, experience, or expertise; to determine the geographical area for the search; and identify the company - or type of company - you wish to work for.
2. Organization. An entrepreneur organizes and manages his/her time and tasks. A job seeker must do the same. There is no boss structuring the hours for the job seeker. You are the boss. And a rule of thumb is that you need to put in as many hours finding a job as you would in working that job. Job-hunting is really a 40+ hour/week job. You need to structure your work, put your schedule into a calendar or day-timer. Block out time for these various tasks: research, resume writing, informational interviewing (part of the research process, networking, applying, and job interviewing. Keep the same hours for job-hunting as you kept in your job (unless you've been working nights or weekends. You really need the traditional workweek hours for the job search.).
3. Multi-tasking. An entrepreneur wears many hats in his/her business, especially in the start-up phase. Self-employed workers, especially solo entrepreneurs, do everything in their businesses, though they may hire consultants with particular expertise from time to time. Job seekers, too, do it all, though they might sub-contract expert help from others, such as job coaches, recruiters, resume writers, placement agencies, and the like. A job-seeker is involved in administrative tasks, research, marketing and promotion, selling, bookkeeping, financial management, and other related tasks.
What does a job search require of a job-seeker? The same skills and qualities required of an entrepreneur: discipline, focus, vision, clarity, organization, project management, time management, productivity, multi-tasking.
A job search can become much more efficient, productive, and satisfying when you view yourself as a self-employed solo entrepreneur and view your business as marketing yourself and landing a job!
Good luck!!!
If you are not, and never have been, self-employed and you are currently involved in a job search - or expect be be soon - then this is your opportunity to experience the world of the self-employed and see how it fits for you.
How is the job search comparable to entrepreneurship? Here are the top three ways:
1. Visualization. An entrepreneur is a Visionary. He/she must pull together a long-term vision and plan in order to define what is wanted and how it will be achieved. A job seeker must do the same. The first step in a job search is to decide what type of job you are seeking - to identify a field, or fields, of interest, experience, or expertise; to determine the geographical area for the search; and identify the company - or type of company - you wish to work for.
2. Organization. An entrepreneur organizes and manages his/her time and tasks. A job seeker must do the same. There is no boss structuring the hours for the job seeker. You are the boss. And a rule of thumb is that you need to put in as many hours finding a job as you would in working that job. Job-hunting is really a 40+ hour/week job. You need to structure your work, put your schedule into a calendar or day-timer. Block out time for these various tasks: research, resume writing, informational interviewing (part of the research process, networking, applying, and job interviewing. Keep the same hours for job-hunting as you kept in your job (unless you've been working nights or weekends. You really need the traditional workweek hours for the job search.).
3. Multi-tasking. An entrepreneur wears many hats in his/her business, especially in the start-up phase. Self-employed workers, especially solo entrepreneurs, do everything in their businesses, though they may hire consultants with particular expertise from time to time. Job seekers, too, do it all, though they might sub-contract expert help from others, such as job coaches, recruiters, resume writers, placement agencies, and the like. A job-seeker is involved in administrative tasks, research, marketing and promotion, selling, bookkeeping, financial management, and other related tasks.
What does a job search require of a job-seeker? The same skills and qualities required of an entrepreneur: discipline, focus, vision, clarity, organization, project management, time management, productivity, multi-tasking.
A job search can become much more efficient, productive, and satisfying when you view yourself as a self-employed solo entrepreneur and view your business as marketing yourself and landing a job!
Good luck!!!
Friday, March 27, 2009
Job Search Series: Resumes - Part Two
In today's tight job market, resumes are more important than ever. Here are six TIPS to help you prepare the most effective resume possible.
A caveat: There are some specialized resumes for which some of these tips might not be appropriate, such as an academic resume (c.v.) or an executive resume.
1. Begin by preparing a Master Resume which lists ALL your skills and talents, all the jobs you've ever held, all of your academic credentials, professional affiliations, volunteer experience, travel, languages spoken, relevant hobbies, etc. However, this resume will probably run at least 2-3 pages and should NOT be posted or used in application for a job. It is your starting point, not your finished product.
2. Customize, customize, customize! The days of the one-size-fits-all resume are over! Match your resume to the specific job you are applying for. An easy way to do this is to make a copy of your Master Resume and then remove everything that does not apply to this job.
3. Keep your resume to one page. If you must spill over to two pages, make the resume double-sided. But understand this: the most important information must be in the top half of the first page. If you haven't caught the reader's attention by then, your resume will probably be tossed.
4. As was mentioned in Part One of the series on Resumes, the language used on your resume needs to match the language used in the job posting (to the extent that you can while being truthful). Many resumes are now scanned by a machine that is programmed to look for certain keywords. This is especially true of resumes going to recruiters, agencies, and large companies. If too many of those keywords are missing, the resume will be sorted into the "No" pile. Even human resume readers scan quickly in that way. If a resume doesn't catch the attention of a human reader in the first 5 seconds, it will probably be set aside or tossed immediately.
5. Begin your resume with an Ojective. The Objective should be specific to the job you are applaying for. For example, if you were applying for an Office Manager position that you found on CraigsList, your Objective would read as follows:
OBJECTIVE: Office Manager, CraigList posting # 1354276.
6: After the Objective, put a Summary. Here, in no more than 3-5 lines, you will list the skills and experience that you have that match the job description you are applying for. Be sure to use the same words and phrases used in the ad or job posting. [Caveat: Match what you can, but never lie!]
The information contained in the Objective and the Summary need to be specific to the job you are applying for. This section of the resume is the most important and it acts as a gatekeeper for the rest. The Yes-No-Maybe decision is made using the information in the top half of the first page of your resume. [Again, avoid having a second page, if possible. The information there will not be given much importance anyway, and may not even be read.]
Next subject: What is the difference between a functional and a chronological resume? Look for this topic in Part Three of this series on Resumes - coming soon.
A caveat: There are some specialized resumes for which some of these tips might not be appropriate, such as an academic resume (c.v.) or an executive resume.
1. Begin by preparing a Master Resume which lists ALL your skills and talents, all the jobs you've ever held, all of your academic credentials, professional affiliations, volunteer experience, travel, languages spoken, relevant hobbies, etc. However, this resume will probably run at least 2-3 pages and should NOT be posted or used in application for a job. It is your starting point, not your finished product.
2. Customize, customize, customize! The days of the one-size-fits-all resume are over! Match your resume to the specific job you are applying for. An easy way to do this is to make a copy of your Master Resume and then remove everything that does not apply to this job.
3. Keep your resume to one page. If you must spill over to two pages, make the resume double-sided. But understand this: the most important information must be in the top half of the first page. If you haven't caught the reader's attention by then, your resume will probably be tossed.
4. As was mentioned in Part One of the series on Resumes, the language used on your resume needs to match the language used in the job posting (to the extent that you can while being truthful). Many resumes are now scanned by a machine that is programmed to look for certain keywords. This is especially true of resumes going to recruiters, agencies, and large companies. If too many of those keywords are missing, the resume will be sorted into the "No" pile. Even human resume readers scan quickly in that way. If a resume doesn't catch the attention of a human reader in the first 5 seconds, it will probably be set aside or tossed immediately.
5. Begin your resume with an Ojective. The Objective should be specific to the job you are applaying for. For example, if you were applying for an Office Manager position that you found on CraigsList, your Objective would read as follows:
OBJECTIVE: Office Manager, CraigList posting # 1354276.
6: After the Objective, put a Summary. Here, in no more than 3-5 lines, you will list the skills and experience that you have that match the job description you are applying for. Be sure to use the same words and phrases used in the ad or job posting. [Caveat: Match what you can, but never lie!]
The information contained in the Objective and the Summary need to be specific to the job you are applying for. This section of the resume is the most important and it acts as a gatekeeper for the rest. The Yes-No-Maybe decision is made using the information in the top half of the first page of your resume. [Again, avoid having a second page, if possible. The information there will not be given much importance anyway, and may not even be read.]
Next subject: What is the difference between a functional and a chronological resume? Look for this topic in Part Three of this series on Resumes - coming soon.
Monday, March 09, 2009
Job Search Series: Resumes - Part One
What IS the purpose of a resume?
And what will get you the interview? A match between what they are looking for and what you have to offer.
And guess what: the reader of your resume may not even be a live human being!
If you are applying to a large company or to a recruiter or to an agency, your reader might be an electronic scanner. And what that scanner is looking for is certain key words that it has been programmed to look for. If it finds enough of the key words, your resume goes into the "maybe" pile. If it doesn't, your resume may go into the circular file.
And even if your resume is being scanned - or read carefully - by a human scanner, it has to contain enough of those key words in order to get into the "maybe" category.
And what are those magic key words? Read on. [If you think I'm going to provide a list here, you will be disappointed.]
So, what's the key to writing a good resume? Two things: paying attention and customization.
Paying attention: Carefully read the description of the job you are applying for. Compare that job description with your skills, experience, and job requirements. If there is at least an 80% match between the two, go ahead and send your resume and cover letter. If there is not, don't waste their time or yours.
And watch out for their "must haves". If they "must" have someone who can work weekends, and you cannot or don't want to, then don't bother applying. If they "must" have someone who is an expert at QuickBooks Pro, and you are not, don't bother applying. And don't bother trying to convince someone that you are "flexible" or a "quick learner" in these situations. Match, or move on. [This is rather like the 7-minute speed dating process that has become popular lately, only in this case - and probably in speed dating too - you only really have about 30 seconds.]
Customization: Before you send that resume and cover letter, tailor them to the job you are applying for. This might seem like a "no-brainer", but you would be amazed at how many people send out, or post, standard, non-customized, resumes in application for jobs they (a) don't understand, (b) don't really want, or (c) aren't even remotely qualified for.
Make sure that everything that the company is looking for is reflected in your resume somewhere (and emphasized, and perhaps expanded, in your cover letter too). And make sure that the language matches. If your potential employer is looking for someone who is "mature and dependable", and you are, then say so using those exact words. "Grown up and reliable" will not do. Why? Because if a machine is scanning your resume, and it has not been programmed to recognize that "mature" and "grown up" or "dependable" and "reliable" are synonyms, your resume will not pass muster.
Unless you are applying for a highly creative job, such as Graphic Designer, creativity is not the key to preparing a resume. But customization is.
The days of using a one-size-fits-all resume are over!
But - never, ever, lie on a resume! If you don't have what the company is looking for, don't say that you do! If it's a minor thing, then perhaps don't mention it at all. If it's a major thing, express your willingness to learn or accommodate (but don't be disappointed if they don't invite you in for an interview).
A successful resume (and remember, "successful" means that it gets you an interview or at least a second look) will quickly show the reader that you have the skills, qualities, experience, job requirements, and enthusiasm to qualify for the position they are trying to fill. Particularly in this job market, where there is more supply than demand, an employer is usually looking for a person who already knows how to do the job they are advertising for. They will have their pick, and, in most cases, will not be interested in training someone to do the posted job.
Unfortunately, this is not the best job market for career changers. Most employers will be looking for people who are already qualified and experienced at doing the job they are hiring for. If you must change fields, get some coaching or counseling to get you going in the right direction, and then plan on getting the training and skills you will need to work in that field.
In Part Two of this series on resumes, I will provide some more detailed tips for preparing a customized resume. Stay tuned!
Click here to read more on cover letters.
- Is it to get you a job? No.
- Is it to give a potential employer a complete picture of everything you've done or could do? No.
- Is it to impress the reader with your creativity, your fancy format, or your multiple and diverse talents? No.
And what will get you the interview? A match between what they are looking for and what you have to offer.
And guess what: the reader of your resume may not even be a live human being!
If you are applying to a large company or to a recruiter or to an agency, your reader might be an electronic scanner. And what that scanner is looking for is certain key words that it has been programmed to look for. If it finds enough of the key words, your resume goes into the "maybe" pile. If it doesn't, your resume may go into the circular file.
And even if your resume is being scanned - or read carefully - by a human scanner, it has to contain enough of those key words in order to get into the "maybe" category.
And what are those magic key words? Read on. [If you think I'm going to provide a list here, you will be disappointed.]
So, what's the key to writing a good resume? Two things: paying attention and customization.
Paying attention: Carefully read the description of the job you are applying for. Compare that job description with your skills, experience, and job requirements. If there is at least an 80% match between the two, go ahead and send your resume and cover letter. If there is not, don't waste their time or yours.
And watch out for their "must haves". If they "must" have someone who can work weekends, and you cannot or don't want to, then don't bother applying. If they "must" have someone who is an expert at QuickBooks Pro, and you are not, don't bother applying. And don't bother trying to convince someone that you are "flexible" or a "quick learner" in these situations. Match, or move on. [This is rather like the 7-minute speed dating process that has become popular lately, only in this case - and probably in speed dating too - you only really have about 30 seconds.]
Customization: Before you send that resume and cover letter, tailor them to the job you are applying for. This might seem like a "no-brainer", but you would be amazed at how many people send out, or post, standard, non-customized, resumes in application for jobs they (a) don't understand, (b) don't really want, or (c) aren't even remotely qualified for.
Make sure that everything that the company is looking for is reflected in your resume somewhere (and emphasized, and perhaps expanded, in your cover letter too). And make sure that the language matches. If your potential employer is looking for someone who is "mature and dependable", and you are, then say so using those exact words. "Grown up and reliable" will not do. Why? Because if a machine is scanning your resume, and it has not been programmed to recognize that "mature" and "grown up" or "dependable" and "reliable" are synonyms, your resume will not pass muster.
Unless you are applying for a highly creative job, such as Graphic Designer, creativity is not the key to preparing a resume. But customization is.
The days of using a one-size-fits-all resume are over!
But - never, ever, lie on a resume! If you don't have what the company is looking for, don't say that you do! If it's a minor thing, then perhaps don't mention it at all. If it's a major thing, express your willingness to learn or accommodate (but don't be disappointed if they don't invite you in for an interview).
A successful resume (and remember, "successful" means that it gets you an interview or at least a second look) will quickly show the reader that you have the skills, qualities, experience, job requirements, and enthusiasm to qualify for the position they are trying to fill. Particularly in this job market, where there is more supply than demand, an employer is usually looking for a person who already knows how to do the job they are advertising for. They will have their pick, and, in most cases, will not be interested in training someone to do the posted job.
Unfortunately, this is not the best job market for career changers. Most employers will be looking for people who are already qualified and experienced at doing the job they are hiring for. If you must change fields, get some coaching or counseling to get you going in the right direction, and then plan on getting the training and skills you will need to work in that field.
In Part Two of this series on resumes, I will provide some more detailed tips for preparing a customized resume. Stay tuned!
Click here to read more on cover letters.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Job Search Series: Cover Letters
In the job search process, the cover letter often plays a crucial role. Following are some of the key functions of the cover letter:
- Introduces you and your resume to the reader/interviewer.
- States upfront which position you are applying for. [Very important. Larger companies are often filling more than one position at any one time.]
- States how you heard about the position. [Especially helpful if you were referred or recommended by a current employee or other known person, or if you are responding to a job listing or to a posted position on their site, on another site such as Monster.com, or comes through a specific agency or recruiter.]
- Highlights some of the key ways in which your skills and experience fit the job description.
- Indicates in some way that you have done your research about this company, position, and field.
- Indicates the level of your interest in this position. [Genuine enthusiasm and a curiosity to learn more about the company and the position are always a plus. The key word here is "genuine".]
- Gives the reader an impression about the level of your professionalism. [Clues: quality of paper used, letterhead design, writing skills - grammar, spelling, composition, organization of content, editing, proofreading]
Earlier in January, Connie was interviewed by a writer at Pongo Resume for an article published January 6, 2009 - 7 Experts Offer Their No. 1 Cover Letter Tip - by Team Pongo. If you are involved in the job search process, be sure to check out this article, and the many other job search blog articles published by Pongo several times a week.
- Introduces you and your resume to the reader/interviewer.
- States upfront which position you are applying for. [Very important. Larger companies are often filling more than one position at any one time.]
- States how you heard about the position. [Especially helpful if you were referred or recommended by a current employee or other known person, or if you are responding to a job listing or to a posted position on their site, on another site such as Monster.com, or comes through a specific agency or recruiter.]
- Highlights some of the key ways in which your skills and experience fit the job description.
- Indicates in some way that you have done your research about this company, position, and field.
- Indicates the level of your interest in this position. [Genuine enthusiasm and a curiosity to learn more about the company and the position are always a plus. The key word here is "genuine".]
- Gives the reader an impression about the level of your professionalism. [Clues: quality of paper used, letterhead design, writing skills - grammar, spelling, composition, organization of content, editing, proofreading]
Earlier in January, Connie was interviewed by a writer at Pongo Resume for an article published January 6, 2009 - 7 Experts Offer Their No. 1 Cover Letter Tip - by Team Pongo. If you are involved in the job search process, be sure to check out this article, and the many other job search blog articles published by Pongo several times a week.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Entrepreneurship Series: Commitment
As we continue this series on Entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial readiness, we ask the question, "What does it take to be a successful entrepreneur?"
There are many answers to this question. One of them is - commitment.
In many respects, starting a business is very much like embarking on a marriage. It is a long-term commitment that requires passion, enthusiasm, and love of the work, product, service, or field of that business. It requires a kind of stick-to-it-iveness that is reminiscent of the marriage vows - that is, you agree to stick with it in good times and bad, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, until death - or some other BIG factor (such as retirement)- does you part. It requires dedication, persistence, perseverance, perspiration, and a conservatively high degree of risk tolerance.
What are some of the secrets of maintaining an entrepreneurial commitment of this kind over the long haul - perhaps in times of economic challenge such as we currently face in this recessive economic climate? Here are some factors...
Imagination - Before you ever start your business, imagine yourself several years into it. Imagine yourself successful and growing. Visualize yourself in your business, through all seasons and business cycles, all the way to retirement.
Intention - Start your business with the very strong intention to stay with it and to succeed. Create the intention to do whatever it takes to make it work.
Challenge - Be someone who thrives on challenge. Embrace "mistakes" as opportunities to learn and to do it better.
Change - Expect and embrace change. Keep refining and fine tuning and growing your business. Never allow it to stagnate.
Time Management - The advantage of working for yourself is that you are in charge of your time and you can enjoy some flexibility in terms of time. The disadvantage is that there is no such thing as a 40-hour work week for most entrepreneurs. Owning your own business is a BIG time commitment, and it is best to plan on that from the beginning. Yet, it is also possible to be very efficient and savvy about how you use your time. Learn to Work Smarter, Not Harder.
Work/Life Balance - That being said, it is also crucial to find ways to balance your work time with your other priorities - time for family, for friends, for socializing, for exercise and recreation, for creative and spiritual pursuits, for managing your household - for all the pieces of your life that you value and enjoy. Balancing your life well prevents burnout and gives you the energy and zest you need to be with your business, day in and day out. Life and Work need to be FUN and energizing!
Question: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the lowest and 10 the highest, how able are you to commit to something for the long haul and stick with it?
Hint: If your answer was 7 or lower, then entrepreneurship is probably not for you.
There are many answers to this question. One of them is - commitment.
In many respects, starting a business is very much like embarking on a marriage. It is a long-term commitment that requires passion, enthusiasm, and love of the work, product, service, or field of that business. It requires a kind of stick-to-it-iveness that is reminiscent of the marriage vows - that is, you agree to stick with it in good times and bad, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, until death - or some other BIG factor (such as retirement)- does you part. It requires dedication, persistence, perseverance, perspiration, and a conservatively high degree of risk tolerance.
What are some of the secrets of maintaining an entrepreneurial commitment of this kind over the long haul - perhaps in times of economic challenge such as we currently face in this recessive economic climate? Here are some factors...
Imagination - Before you ever start your business, imagine yourself several years into it. Imagine yourself successful and growing. Visualize yourself in your business, through all seasons and business cycles, all the way to retirement.
Intention - Start your business with the very strong intention to stay with it and to succeed. Create the intention to do whatever it takes to make it work.
Challenge - Be someone who thrives on challenge. Embrace "mistakes" as opportunities to learn and to do it better.
Change - Expect and embrace change. Keep refining and fine tuning and growing your business. Never allow it to stagnate.
Time Management - The advantage of working for yourself is that you are in charge of your time and you can enjoy some flexibility in terms of time. The disadvantage is that there is no such thing as a 40-hour work week for most entrepreneurs. Owning your own business is a BIG time commitment, and it is best to plan on that from the beginning. Yet, it is also possible to be very efficient and savvy about how you use your time. Learn to Work Smarter, Not Harder.
Work/Life Balance - That being said, it is also crucial to find ways to balance your work time with your other priorities - time for family, for friends, for socializing, for exercise and recreation, for creative and spiritual pursuits, for managing your household - for all the pieces of your life that you value and enjoy. Balancing your life well prevents burnout and gives you the energy and zest you need to be with your business, day in and day out. Life and Work need to be FUN and energizing!
Question: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the lowest and 10 the highest, how able are you to commit to something for the long haul and stick with it?
Hint: If your answer was 7 or lower, then entrepreneurship is probably not for you.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
National Employ Older Workers Week
National Employ Older Workers Week is happening right NOW - September 21 - 28, 2008. This designated week happens every year during the last full week in September.
This is not a new event. The National Employ Older Workers Week was actually created by the Department of Labor in 1959 during President Eisenhower's administration. The Week was set up in order to encourage and support older workers (defined as 55 and up) in the workplace.
During this week, many locales in most states are sponsoring Job Fairs - some with a focus on targeting older workers. For those living in my local area, Boston's North Shore, be sure to check out Boston.com's Web page, Find a Job in the North Shore Region.
For a look at the National Picture, check out the article, National Employ the Older Workers Job Fair Series, on WiserWorker.com.
This is not a new event. The National Employ Older Workers Week was actually created by the Department of Labor in 1959 during President Eisenhower's administration. The Week was set up in order to encourage and support older workers (defined as 55 and up) in the workplace.
During this week, many locales in most states are sponsoring Job Fairs - some with a focus on targeting older workers. For those living in my local area, Boston's North Shore, be sure to check out Boston.com's Web page, Find a Job in the North Shore Region.
For a look at the National Picture, check out the article, National Employ the Older Workers Job Fair Series, on WiserWorker.com.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Boomers and Seniors in the Workplace
Yesterday, I was quoted in an article titled Retire? More Seniors May Get to Dictate Their Futures by Rick Saia of PongoResume.com. This article is a Must-Read for those contemplating retirement and for those already in retirement.
It seems to me that three large events are coming together in a way that will result in keeping Boomers in the workplace longer and in bringing already retired Seniors back into the workplace:
1. More retired Seniors are living longer - and are living healthy, active lives longer - than ever before. And therefore, they need two things: (1) something interesting and productive to do with their time, and (2)more income to finance their longer lifespans.
2. With Boomers retiring, the are some real shortages of talent in some industries - such as teaching, for example - gaps that are not being adequately filled by the latest group of 20-somethings coming through.
3. The current economic crisis is putting a pinch on everyone's pocketbook, and especially on those of Seniors living on a fixed income based on savings and funds that are being eroded or are disappearing.
As Rick Saia points out in an earlier article he wrote, "Bringing Boomers and Millennials Together at Work", there are important roles for older workers in the workplace - one of which is the role of Mentor to younger workers coming up through the workplace hierarchy.
Saia also mentions in his article of yesterday, that this week - September 21-28, 2008 - is National Employ Older Workers Week. Must say, though I've found references to this week for past years, there doesn't seem to be much buzz about it this year. Wonder why?
It seems to me that three large events are coming together in a way that will result in keeping Boomers in the workplace longer and in bringing already retired Seniors back into the workplace:
1. More retired Seniors are living longer - and are living healthy, active lives longer - than ever before. And therefore, they need two things: (1) something interesting and productive to do with their time, and (2)more income to finance their longer lifespans.
2. With Boomers retiring, the are some real shortages of talent in some industries - such as teaching, for example - gaps that are not being adequately filled by the latest group of 20-somethings coming through.
3. The current economic crisis is putting a pinch on everyone's pocketbook, and especially on those of Seniors living on a fixed income based on savings and funds that are being eroded or are disappearing.
As Rick Saia points out in an earlier article he wrote, "Bringing Boomers and Millennials Together at Work", there are important roles for older workers in the workplace - one of which is the role of Mentor to younger workers coming up through the workplace hierarchy.
Saia also mentions in his article of yesterday, that this week - September 21-28, 2008 - is National Employ Older Workers Week. Must say, though I've found references to this week for past years, there doesn't seem to be much buzz about it this year. Wonder why?
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Entrepreneurship Series: Entrepreneurship Workshop - October 8, 2008
Is Entrepreneurship Right for Me?
This is the theme of the workshop to be presented by Connie Komack of LifeWork Enterprises in Partnership with The Entrepreneur's Source in Beverly, Massachusetts.
Are you at a choice point in your career?
Are you considering going into business for yourself?
Are you wondering if you have what it takes to be a successful business owner?
If you are contemplating going into business for yourself, or if you know of someone who is, register for this free event and join us for an evening of exploration and inquiry.
Date: Wednesday, October 8, 2006
Time: Registration: 6:30pm. Program: 7-9pm.
Place: 100 Cummings Center, Suite 221E, Beverly, MA
Fee: None. Advance registration is strongly encouraged.
To Register: Contact Tom DiGiuseppe at The Entrepreneur's Source. Phone: 978-524-9900. Email: tgdesource@verizon.net.
This is the theme of the workshop to be presented by Connie Komack of LifeWork Enterprises in Partnership with The Entrepreneur's Source in Beverly, Massachusetts.
Are you at a choice point in your career?
Are you considering going into business for yourself?
Are you wondering if you have what it takes to be a successful business owner?
If you are contemplating going into business for yourself, or if you know of someone who is, register for this free event and join us for an evening of exploration and inquiry.
Date: Wednesday, October 8, 2006
Time: Registration: 6:30pm. Program: 7-9pm.
Place: 100 Cummings Center, Suite 221E, Beverly, MA
Fee: None. Advance registration is strongly encouraged.
To Register: Contact Tom DiGiuseppe at The Entrepreneur's Source. Phone: 978-524-9900. Email: tgdesource@verizon.net.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Designing Your Life - Taking Stock
January is an ideal time to begin the process of re-vamping or redesigning your life. When you are in, or approaching, a transition period in your life, where do you begin to redesign your life?
Well, think about it for a moment. If you decided to make a new recipe that you had never made before, what would you do? You have the recipe in front of you. You recognize some ingredients and some directions, perhaps, and are unfamiliar perhaps with others. So, the first thing you might do is to check your cupboards, pantry, and refrigerator to see which ingredients you already have and then you make a list of the items you will need to purchase.
The very first step is checking to see what you already have. In the Designing Your Life process, I call this Taking Stock. In this first phase, you take a good and thorough look at yourself and your life, and you identify all the things you bring to the table thus far. Whether you are in your teens or in your golden years, or anywhere in between, this is a critical first step in re-inventing your self or creating the life of your dreams. Here are some of the "ingredients" you might check out:
- Life experience
- Work experience
- Roles you play in your life
- Skills, talents
- Aptitudes
- Personal characteristics, strengths & weaknesses
- Interests, passions
- Personality type
- Values
- Life purpose
Our Designing Your Life program and the accompanying Designing Your Life workbook provide a structured way of taking stock of all the qualities and experiences that contribute to who you are today and support you in bringing them forward into the next phase of your life, while at the same time identifying new skills, talents, and so forth that you wish to develop. The program contains exercises and tools for exploring each of these "ingredients" and more.
You can also do this without the structure and support of a program, coach, group, or book (though support is a very valuable part of the process for most people). Here are some tips for making the most of your personal Taking Stock process:
1. Purchase a spiral notebook or large blank journal that will be devoted exclusively to this Designing Your Life process.
2. Set aside some segments of quiet, uninterrupted time in which to do your stock-taking. Create a contemplative mood for yourself, perhaps by walking first or meditating or breathing quietly or listening to soothing music.
3. Consider each of the points on the list above, and take time to address each one separately and thoroughly. For some aspects (such as skills, characteristics, interests, values), you can make lists. Others may require other tools or approaches (free-writing, resume reviews, specialized assessments, etc.). Plan to do these exercises in small sessions, one or two aspects at a time, over a period of days or weeks.
4. For the lists you have, identify the top ten in each area and then rank-order them in order of importance to you. This is especially important in the area of your Values.
5. Create a summary page that pulls together all that you have learned about yourself, including all of your Top Ten lists.
When you have completed the Taking Stock phase of this process, it will be time for the Visioning phase - an exploration of the future life, career, or business you wish to create. In the next blog, we will take a look at that phase.
Meanwhile, if you find that you could use some coaching support in your Taking Stock process, please contact me. I am committed to your success and well-being!
Well, think about it for a moment. If you decided to make a new recipe that you had never made before, what would you do? You have the recipe in front of you. You recognize some ingredients and some directions, perhaps, and are unfamiliar perhaps with others. So, the first thing you might do is to check your cupboards, pantry, and refrigerator to see which ingredients you already have and then you make a list of the items you will need to purchase.
The very first step is checking to see what you already have. In the Designing Your Life process, I call this Taking Stock. In this first phase, you take a good and thorough look at yourself and your life, and you identify all the things you bring to the table thus far. Whether you are in your teens or in your golden years, or anywhere in between, this is a critical first step in re-inventing your self or creating the life of your dreams. Here are some of the "ingredients" you might check out:
- Life experience
- Work experience
- Roles you play in your life
- Skills, talents
- Aptitudes
- Personal characteristics, strengths & weaknesses
- Interests, passions
- Personality type
- Values
- Life purpose
Our Designing Your Life program and the accompanying Designing Your Life workbook provide a structured way of taking stock of all the qualities and experiences that contribute to who you are today and support you in bringing them forward into the next phase of your life, while at the same time identifying new skills, talents, and so forth that you wish to develop. The program contains exercises and tools for exploring each of these "ingredients" and more.
You can also do this without the structure and support of a program, coach, group, or book (though support is a very valuable part of the process for most people). Here are some tips for making the most of your personal Taking Stock process:
1. Purchase a spiral notebook or large blank journal that will be devoted exclusively to this Designing Your Life process.
2. Set aside some segments of quiet, uninterrupted time in which to do your stock-taking. Create a contemplative mood for yourself, perhaps by walking first or meditating or breathing quietly or listening to soothing music.
3. Consider each of the points on the list above, and take time to address each one separately and thoroughly. For some aspects (such as skills, characteristics, interests, values), you can make lists. Others may require other tools or approaches (free-writing, resume reviews, specialized assessments, etc.). Plan to do these exercises in small sessions, one or two aspects at a time, over a period of days or weeks.
4. For the lists you have, identify the top ten in each area and then rank-order them in order of importance to you. This is especially important in the area of your Values.
5. Create a summary page that pulls together all that you have learned about yourself, including all of your Top Ten lists.
When you have completed the Taking Stock phase of this process, it will be time for the Visioning phase - an exploration of the future life, career, or business you wish to create. In the next blog, we will take a look at that phase.
Meanwhile, if you find that you could use some coaching support in your Taking Stock process, please contact me. I am committed to your success and well-being!
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Designing Your Life: Book Review
Exciting News!
Word of my Designing Your Life program and workbook is finally spreading! A review of the workbook has been published online in Training Media Review. The review, by Mireille Massue, begins by discussing the symbolism of my business logo, the butterfly, as it relates to transformational coaching; it ends with this recommendation and a 3.5-star rating out of 4.0:
Recommendation
Designing Your Life is an excellent workbook offering tools to help you scrutinize your current life and work goals, reformulate them, and transform them into opportunity and action.
If you know someone - friend, family member, colleague, client - who would benefit from using a beautifully crafted, interactive workbook as a resource in redefining their career/life vision, plans, goals, then please send them to my web site or invite them to contact me personally by email at connie@conniekomack.com.
Word of my Designing Your Life program and workbook is finally spreading! A review of the workbook has been published online in Training Media Review. The review, by Mireille Massue, begins by discussing the symbolism of my business logo, the butterfly, as it relates to transformational coaching; it ends with this recommendation and a 3.5-star rating out of 4.0:
Recommendation
Designing Your Life is an excellent workbook offering tools to help you scrutinize your current life and work goals, reformulate them, and transform them into opportunity and action.
If you know someone - friend, family member, colleague, client - who would benefit from using a beautifully crafted, interactive workbook as a resource in redefining their career/life vision, plans, goals, then please send them to my web site or invite them to contact me personally by email at connie@conniekomack.com.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Goal-Free Living: A Book Review & More
Goal-Free Living - what does that mean? Does it mean that we abandon all goals and just float through life like a leaf on a river, going wherever the current takes us?
This is the question I asked my colleague, Steve Shapiro, about a year ago upon the publication of his book, Goal-Free Living: How to Have the Life You Want NOW! (Stephen M. Shapiro, John Wiley & Sons, 2006). At the time, I was holding the autographed copy in my hands, but had not yet even read the dust jacket. When I got home, I looked it over quickly and then put it aside to read when I had time. Recently, I finally made that time and read the book cover-to-cover. And then I could not wait to tell my readers and clients about it.
As a Life/Work Coach, one of the things I do with clients is to work with them on setting realistic, achievable goals, then creating an Action Plan to accomplish those goals, and finally actually taking the actions needed to accomplish those goals. I approached this book wondering, Was this book proposing that people should live their lives without any goals? Or hinting that as a coach I should stop teaching goal-setting and action-planning techniques and strategies?
As it turns out, the answer is a qualified "No". Goal-Free Living is not about letting go of all goals. It's about having some goals but not being driven by them, not being "Goal-Focused" all the time. Goal-Free Living is about living in, and responding to, the moment, being fully engaged with the here and now, being tuned in to the opportunities that are constantly presenting themselves to us, if only we are open to receiving them.
In the author's own words, "Goal-Free Living is about listening to your gut, trusting that you are moving in the right direction, a direction that has meaning for you. You take risks and try new things. You play full out. Everything you do fits with your purpose."
Ah, here's the nub: knowing your purpose. Without knowing your purpose, or having some vision of a possible future, we would indeed drift.
And in addition to knowing your purpose, I would add, knowing yourself - your skills, talents, strengths, interests, personality style, cognitive style, values, dreams, wishes, aspirations and especially your overarching life purpose. And to this mix, I would also add identifying your passion - that thing, or things, that ignite(s) your energy, imagination, and drive - and letting these factors guide your journey through life.
Use a compass, not a map. This, Shapiro writes, is the first of his eight secrets for living a goal-free life. I interpret this secret, or guideline, to mean using your purpose, passion, and self-knowledge as Aspirations (Shapiro's term) or Mega-Goals (my term) - goals that set the tone or theme of your life. These become the Compass. A Map, in this context, would be a set of specific and detailed goals leading ultimately to fulfilling your purpose and vision in a specific, predetermined way.
For example, suppose your overriding life purpose was "to make a difference". This purpose would become the Compass of your life. And in all you do, making a difference would be the aspiration or mega-goal. Let's suppose, then, that you developed a very specific vision of how you would lead your life in response to that purpose. Perhaps you set a course for a career in health or politics or social justice, for example. And then, you created an action plan that led to to fulfilling that vision - a plan that perhaps contained very specific and focused action steps for reaching that goal. The Action Plan would become the Map.
The Goal-Focused approach would be to follow that Map with much intention, which would lead to achieving your very specific vision. The Goal-Free approach, on the other hand, would be to hold "making a difference" as your aspiration, or mega-goal, and then live your life in the present moment with your ear to the ground, open to all the possibilities you might encounter that would result in making a difference. This approach leaves you open to many more possibilities in terms of expressing and living your purpose, but also can create distraction, lack of focus, and confusion.
The way I look at it, there is value in each approach, and some people are more suited to one approach than the other. The Goal-Focused approach is a more logical, rational, analytical, step-by-step approach to creating a life. It is more suited to people who are primarily "left-brained" in their cognitive or personality style. The Goal-Free approach is a more creative, intuitive, multi-layered approach, and is more suited to those who are primarily "right-brained" in their cognitive or personality style. And, then, there is always the possibility of blending the two styles, or moving back and forth between them as the situation requires.
The author of Goal-Free Living shares eight secrets for living a Goal-Free life. So far, we have explored only one. What are the other seven secrets? Perhaps we will explore these in a future blog. Meanwhile, feel free to contact author Stephen Shapiro for the answer to that question or to order the book online through Amazon.com.
Meanwhile, what is your Compass? Your overriding life and/or work purpose? How might you use your purpose, your passion, and your unique gifts and talents as your compass in a goal-free life and change (improve) the quality of your life?
This is the question I asked my colleague, Steve Shapiro, about a year ago upon the publication of his book, Goal-Free Living: How to Have the Life You Want NOW! (Stephen M. Shapiro, John Wiley & Sons, 2006). At the time, I was holding the autographed copy in my hands, but had not yet even read the dust jacket. When I got home, I looked it over quickly and then put it aside to read when I had time. Recently, I finally made that time and read the book cover-to-cover. And then I could not wait to tell my readers and clients about it.
As a Life/Work Coach, one of the things I do with clients is to work with them on setting realistic, achievable goals, then creating an Action Plan to accomplish those goals, and finally actually taking the actions needed to accomplish those goals. I approached this book wondering, Was this book proposing that people should live their lives without any goals? Or hinting that as a coach I should stop teaching goal-setting and action-planning techniques and strategies?
As it turns out, the answer is a qualified "No". Goal-Free Living is not about letting go of all goals. It's about having some goals but not being driven by them, not being "Goal-Focused" all the time. Goal-Free Living is about living in, and responding to, the moment, being fully engaged with the here and now, being tuned in to the opportunities that are constantly presenting themselves to us, if only we are open to receiving them.
In the author's own words, "Goal-Free Living is about listening to your gut, trusting that you are moving in the right direction, a direction that has meaning for you. You take risks and try new things. You play full out. Everything you do fits with your purpose."
Ah, here's the nub: knowing your purpose. Without knowing your purpose, or having some vision of a possible future, we would indeed drift.
And in addition to knowing your purpose, I would add, knowing yourself - your skills, talents, strengths, interests, personality style, cognitive style, values, dreams, wishes, aspirations and especially your overarching life purpose. And to this mix, I would also add identifying your passion - that thing, or things, that ignite(s) your energy, imagination, and drive - and letting these factors guide your journey through life.
Use a compass, not a map. This, Shapiro writes, is the first of his eight secrets for living a goal-free life. I interpret this secret, or guideline, to mean using your purpose, passion, and self-knowledge as Aspirations (Shapiro's term) or Mega-Goals (my term) - goals that set the tone or theme of your life. These become the Compass. A Map, in this context, would be a set of specific and detailed goals leading ultimately to fulfilling your purpose and vision in a specific, predetermined way.
For example, suppose your overriding life purpose was "to make a difference". This purpose would become the Compass of your life. And in all you do, making a difference would be the aspiration or mega-goal. Let's suppose, then, that you developed a very specific vision of how you would lead your life in response to that purpose. Perhaps you set a course for a career in health or politics or social justice, for example. And then, you created an action plan that led to to fulfilling that vision - a plan that perhaps contained very specific and focused action steps for reaching that goal. The Action Plan would become the Map.
The Goal-Focused approach would be to follow that Map with much intention, which would lead to achieving your very specific vision. The Goal-Free approach, on the other hand, would be to hold "making a difference" as your aspiration, or mega-goal, and then live your life in the present moment with your ear to the ground, open to all the possibilities you might encounter that would result in making a difference. This approach leaves you open to many more possibilities in terms of expressing and living your purpose, but also can create distraction, lack of focus, and confusion.
The way I look at it, there is value in each approach, and some people are more suited to one approach than the other. The Goal-Focused approach is a more logical, rational, analytical, step-by-step approach to creating a life. It is more suited to people who are primarily "left-brained" in their cognitive or personality style. The Goal-Free approach is a more creative, intuitive, multi-layered approach, and is more suited to those who are primarily "right-brained" in their cognitive or personality style. And, then, there is always the possibility of blending the two styles, or moving back and forth between them as the situation requires.
The author of Goal-Free Living shares eight secrets for living a Goal-Free life. So far, we have explored only one. What are the other seven secrets? Perhaps we will explore these in a future blog. Meanwhile, feel free to contact author Stephen Shapiro for the answer to that question or to order the book online through Amazon.com.
Meanwhile, what is your Compass? Your overriding life and/or work purpose? How might you use your purpose, your passion, and your unique gifts and talents as your compass in a goal-free life and change (improve) the quality of your life?
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Plan To Be Surprised
Last evening I saw a delightful movie - the newly released Dan in Real Life. Dan Burns (superbly played by Steve Carell) is a widower and the father of three girls, ages 8 to 17. He is also the writer of a "Dear Dan" - type newspaper column in which he dispenses advice on relationships and family life - advice he doesn't always heed himself. I'll forgo discussing the storyline so that you might have the pleasure of seeing it unfold for yourself. But this, I'll share. In this movie, there are some wonderful one-liners, and one that stood out for me was the very last line of the movie: Plan to be surprised.
As a Career/Life Coach, some of my work with clients is around planning. It's often about identifying your ideal life and/or career, then setting goals and designing a plan of action, and finally taking actions that will lead you to your goal(s). This is equivalent to setting a destination in sailing and then plotting a course for how you will get there, depending upon the wind direction, the chart of the waters, the tides and weather, and any other known obstacles or considerations. Or it's like choosing a travel destination for a vacation and then mapping out all the sights you plan to see while there or en route.
But as most boaters or travelers know, "stuff happens". The "best laid plans of mice and men" do go astray sometimes. What happens when Life throws you a curve? When something unexpected comes your way? And I'm not just talking about unpleasant surprises here, but also about pleasant surprises - wonderful surprises - surprises beyond, or different from, your wildest dreams. What then?
Take vacations, for example. Sometimes the best things that happen are the unplanned ones. Another movie comes to mind: Under the Tuscan Sun. If you have seen the movie or read the book, you know that Frances, the heroine, takes a tour of Tuscany, at the urging of her friends, in order to get over a painful divorce. But during a planned tour stop in a small village, Frances sees a flyer about a house for sale. She impulsively checks it out and her whole life changes - in good ways - in ways she couldn't have imagined when she began the tour or even when she bought the house.
I believe in visioning, goal-setting, and planning. I also believe in flexibility and in being open to the new possibilities that are presented to us at unexpected moments in life. In sailing, you must have a destination and must plot a course in order to have a direction and gain some momentum. However, as a sailor, you also know that any number of events could arise to throw you off course, and you need to be prepared for that. Sometimes you end up at a more desirable destination. Sometimes you're shipwrecked. Sometimes you're just stalled in the water for a while until you choose a new course.
So, for me, the approach I choose to take to Life and to coaching is paradoxical. My approach is to dream, to set goals, to plan, to follow your bliss and at the same time to pay attention, to live fully in the moment, and to allow your bliss to take you in unexpected directions. In other words: Plan to be surprised.
As a Career/Life Coach, some of my work with clients is around planning. It's often about identifying your ideal life and/or career, then setting goals and designing a plan of action, and finally taking actions that will lead you to your goal(s). This is equivalent to setting a destination in sailing and then plotting a course for how you will get there, depending upon the wind direction, the chart of the waters, the tides and weather, and any other known obstacles or considerations. Or it's like choosing a travel destination for a vacation and then mapping out all the sights you plan to see while there or en route.
But as most boaters or travelers know, "stuff happens". The "best laid plans of mice and men" do go astray sometimes. What happens when Life throws you a curve? When something unexpected comes your way? And I'm not just talking about unpleasant surprises here, but also about pleasant surprises - wonderful surprises - surprises beyond, or different from, your wildest dreams. What then?
Take vacations, for example. Sometimes the best things that happen are the unplanned ones. Another movie comes to mind: Under the Tuscan Sun. If you have seen the movie or read the book, you know that Frances, the heroine, takes a tour of Tuscany, at the urging of her friends, in order to get over a painful divorce. But during a planned tour stop in a small village, Frances sees a flyer about a house for sale. She impulsively checks it out and her whole life changes - in good ways - in ways she couldn't have imagined when she began the tour or even when she bought the house.
I believe in visioning, goal-setting, and planning. I also believe in flexibility and in being open to the new possibilities that are presented to us at unexpected moments in life. In sailing, you must have a destination and must plot a course in order to have a direction and gain some momentum. However, as a sailor, you also know that any number of events could arise to throw you off course, and you need to be prepared for that. Sometimes you end up at a more desirable destination. Sometimes you're shipwrecked. Sometimes you're just stalled in the water for a while until you choose a new course.
So, for me, the approach I choose to take to Life and to coaching is paradoxical. My approach is to dream, to set goals, to plan, to follow your bliss and at the same time to pay attention, to live fully in the moment, and to allow your bliss to take you in unexpected directions. In other words: Plan to be surprised.
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Don't Wait. Carpe Diem!
Carpe Diem. Latin for "seize the day".
This is written especially for the procrastinators out there (me included).
Three recent events in my life have converged like a perfect storm to bring home to me the importance living life full out in every moment, hitting all the high spots, and not letting the important stuff slide.
The first event was attending portions of a Buddhist retreat that was held down the street from me in my home town of Rockport, Massachusetts this past August. Though I did not attend the whole retreat, and did not experience this firsthand, I did hear that the teacher, Lama Marut, led participants in a long guided meditation on death. The purpose of doing this meditation, as I understand it, is to face and finally accept the inevitability of one's own death so that one can release the fear and begin to really live - fully and in every moment. One of the things you realize through doing this meditation is that death could come at any moment, ready or not, whether we are young, old, or in between. The purpose of this death meditation is, ultimately, to end suffering and to bring happiness to yourself and to others. [This description is a vast oversimplification, but it will have to do for now.]
The second event was hearing the description of a trip to France, recently undertaken by two friends, John and Jo Leal. They spent most of their three-week trip in the countryside near the village of Turenne, but spent the last two and a half days in Paris. This got me thinking about what happens when we take a trip to an unfamiliar location, especially to a destination hot spot like Paris. What happens when we try to see, do, experience everything in such a short space of time? We have a long list, perhaps, of what we want to see and do - tourist spots, scenic beauty, fine dining, couture clothing, eating croissants in a cafe, practicing our French, immersing ourselves in the culture; the list could go on and on. In a situation like this, most of us go for it full out. We pack it all in. We extract every drop we can from every moment. As my friend Betty would say, we "live juicy".
I put this together with the lesson of the death meditation and thought, why can't we live every day as if we only had two days in Paris? There is something about the way we throw ourselves into life when we are traveling, especially to unfamiliar and exotic foreign destinations, that brings us into the present moment, heightens our awareness and our appreciation of our surroundings, and enables us to let go, experience life fully, and "live juicy".
The third event happened just a week ago. A beloved family member died unexpectedly when he was hit by a van while walking his dog. This event brought it all home. We don't know when or how the end will come. Sometimes, as the TV ad says, life (or death) comes at you fast. As I sat in the service, I thought about Dick and about other people who have exited my life, via death or in other ways, before I had the chance to learn who they really were or to say all the things I would like to have said. I procrastinated. I thought there would be plenty of time. I waited too long.
Today, I decided to do the following things: (1) To make a list of all the people still living with whom I had unfinished business or had not communicated with in a timely way and to contact them as soon as possible. (2) To make a "Life List" - something I often suggest for my coaching clients but had not yet done for myself - a list of all the things, large and small, that I would like to do before I die. And then, to start doing them, with intention and passion.
As to item #1, I have already phoned and talked with two people on my unfinished business list; I still have several to go. It felt good to reach out and take that step.
Today, I began thinking more like a Buddhist. What if today were the last day of my life? What would be the most important thing I could do with my time today? What things would I absolutely not want to leave unfinished? Perhaps it wouldn't matter if my house wasn't clean or my office wasn't organized or I hadn't completed every business task I'd set out for myself or even if all my "papers" were in order. Perhaps what would be most important might be taking an early morning walk and saying hello to the ocean, or expressing the gratitude I feel to be living in such a beautiful spot on this earth, or phoning to wish a friend bon voyage on an upcoming trip, or phoning to express appreciation for the generosity of an ex-husband, or apologizing to a friend whose feelings I had inadvertantly hurt, or telling my son and daughter-in-law and granddaughter (and other dear ones in my life) that I love them with all my heart, or writing something from the heart, like this piece, that might inspire or support another person.
So, here's my bottom line: Live like you only had two days to spend with your beloved in Paris or live like this was your last day on earth, but above all, "live juicy", finish your unfinished business, DO IT (whatever "it" is) NOW, and Carpe Diem!
This is written especially for the procrastinators out there (me included).
Three recent events in my life have converged like a perfect storm to bring home to me the importance living life full out in every moment, hitting all the high spots, and not letting the important stuff slide.
The first event was attending portions of a Buddhist retreat that was held down the street from me in my home town of Rockport, Massachusetts this past August. Though I did not attend the whole retreat, and did not experience this firsthand, I did hear that the teacher, Lama Marut, led participants in a long guided meditation on death. The purpose of doing this meditation, as I understand it, is to face and finally accept the inevitability of one's own death so that one can release the fear and begin to really live - fully and in every moment. One of the things you realize through doing this meditation is that death could come at any moment, ready or not, whether we are young, old, or in between. The purpose of this death meditation is, ultimately, to end suffering and to bring happiness to yourself and to others. [This description is a vast oversimplification, but it will have to do for now.]
The second event was hearing the description of a trip to France, recently undertaken by two friends, John and Jo Leal. They spent most of their three-week trip in the countryside near the village of Turenne, but spent the last two and a half days in Paris. This got me thinking about what happens when we take a trip to an unfamiliar location, especially to a destination hot spot like Paris. What happens when we try to see, do, experience everything in such a short space of time? We have a long list, perhaps, of what we want to see and do - tourist spots, scenic beauty, fine dining, couture clothing, eating croissants in a cafe, practicing our French, immersing ourselves in the culture; the list could go on and on. In a situation like this, most of us go for it full out. We pack it all in. We extract every drop we can from every moment. As my friend Betty would say, we "live juicy".
I put this together with the lesson of the death meditation and thought, why can't we live every day as if we only had two days in Paris? There is something about the way we throw ourselves into life when we are traveling, especially to unfamiliar and exotic foreign destinations, that brings us into the present moment, heightens our awareness and our appreciation of our surroundings, and enables us to let go, experience life fully, and "live juicy".
The third event happened just a week ago. A beloved family member died unexpectedly when he was hit by a van while walking his dog. This event brought it all home. We don't know when or how the end will come. Sometimes, as the TV ad says, life (or death) comes at you fast. As I sat in the service, I thought about Dick and about other people who have exited my life, via death or in other ways, before I had the chance to learn who they really were or to say all the things I would like to have said. I procrastinated. I thought there would be plenty of time. I waited too long.
Today, I decided to do the following things: (1) To make a list of all the people still living with whom I had unfinished business or had not communicated with in a timely way and to contact them as soon as possible. (2) To make a "Life List" - something I often suggest for my coaching clients but had not yet done for myself - a list of all the things, large and small, that I would like to do before I die. And then, to start doing them, with intention and passion.
As to item #1, I have already phoned and talked with two people on my unfinished business list; I still have several to go. It felt good to reach out and take that step.
Today, I began thinking more like a Buddhist. What if today were the last day of my life? What would be the most important thing I could do with my time today? What things would I absolutely not want to leave unfinished? Perhaps it wouldn't matter if my house wasn't clean or my office wasn't organized or I hadn't completed every business task I'd set out for myself or even if all my "papers" were in order. Perhaps what would be most important might be taking an early morning walk and saying hello to the ocean, or expressing the gratitude I feel to be living in such a beautiful spot on this earth, or phoning to wish a friend bon voyage on an upcoming trip, or phoning to express appreciation for the generosity of an ex-husband, or apologizing to a friend whose feelings I had inadvertantly hurt, or telling my son and daughter-in-law and granddaughter (and other dear ones in my life) that I love them with all my heart, or writing something from the heart, like this piece, that might inspire or support another person.
So, here's my bottom line: Live like you only had two days to spend with your beloved in Paris or live like this was your last day on earth, but above all, "live juicy", finish your unfinished business, DO IT (whatever "it" is) NOW, and Carpe Diem!
Thursday, August 16, 2007
How Do CRAMPS Relate to Goal-Setting?
What is a Goal?
A Goal is the ongoing pursuit of a worthy objective until it is accomplished. [from The Power of Focus, by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Les Hewitt, 2000.]
In the world of goal-setting, it is important to understand how to create an effective goal, a goal in which Success is the end result.
In my previous blog (Mega-Goals, Mini-Goals, and Office Organization, July 23, 2007), I described a goal-setting method called Setting SMART Goals.
Let's review the SMART goals model and then explore a new one - the CRAMPS model.
The model of setting SMART goals has been used by coaches for many years now, and it incorporates many of the qualities of successful goal-setting. SMART goals are:
S = Specific
M = Measurable
A = Achievable
R = Realistic
T = Time-framed
The CRAMPS model is one that I developed a few years ago for my goal-setting workshops. This model incorporates all the qualities of SMART goals and adds a few more that refine the goal-setting process even more and build in an even higher probability for success. Although the CRAMPS acronym is not nearly as elegant or as sexy as the SMART one, it IS memorable, and that is what is important.
So, a CRAMPS goal is:
C = Clear (Specific. Simply and clearly stated. One concept at a time.)
R = Realistic (Is this a realistic goal for me?)
A = Attainable (At all? Within the specified time frame? Am I willing to do what it takes?)
M = Measurable (Usually includes numbers and measures; always time-related.)
P = Positive (Framed in positive language; states what you want, not what you don't want.)
S = Supported (By you and by selected other people and/or other resources.)
How could the CRAMPS model help you to set more effective goals in your work or personal life?
*******************************************************************************
Although this Blog site is not set up to be interactive at this time, feel free to contact me with your comments.
Email: connie@conniekomack.com
Web: www.conniekomack.com
A Goal is the ongoing pursuit of a worthy objective until it is accomplished. [from The Power of Focus, by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Les Hewitt, 2000.]
In the world of goal-setting, it is important to understand how to create an effective goal, a goal in which Success is the end result.
In my previous blog (Mega-Goals, Mini-Goals, and Office Organization, July 23, 2007), I described a goal-setting method called Setting SMART Goals.
Let's review the SMART goals model and then explore a new one - the CRAMPS model.
The model of setting SMART goals has been used by coaches for many years now, and it incorporates many of the qualities of successful goal-setting. SMART goals are:
S = Specific
M = Measurable
A = Achievable
R = Realistic
T = Time-framed
The CRAMPS model is one that I developed a few years ago for my goal-setting workshops. This model incorporates all the qualities of SMART goals and adds a few more that refine the goal-setting process even more and build in an even higher probability for success. Although the CRAMPS acronym is not nearly as elegant or as sexy as the SMART one, it IS memorable, and that is what is important.
So, a CRAMPS goal is:
C = Clear (Specific. Simply and clearly stated. One concept at a time.)
R = Realistic (Is this a realistic goal for me?)
A = Attainable (At all? Within the specified time frame? Am I willing to do what it takes?)
M = Measurable (Usually includes numbers and measures; always time-related.)
P = Positive (Framed in positive language; states what you want, not what you don't want.)
S = Supported (By you and by selected other people and/or other resources.)
How could the CRAMPS model help you to set more effective goals in your work or personal life?
*******************************************************************************
Although this Blog site is not set up to be interactive at this time, feel free to contact me with your comments.
Email: connie@conniekomack.com
Web: www.conniekomack.com
Monday, July 23, 2007
Mega-Goals, Mini-Goals, and Office Organization
Sometimes the goals we set for ourselves are small and very doable in the allotted time frame. Other times, the goals we set for ourselves are huge - complex and often time-urgent. These I call Mega-Goals. Usually a Mega-Goal involves a big life change. Examples: deciding what to do after graduation, selling and/or buying a home, relocating to another part of the country, beginning or ending a significant relationship, changing jobs or careers, preparing for retirement.
When faced with a Mega-Goal, it is easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged. And the typical response to this kind of overwhelm, in addition to frustration and fatigue, is often either to procrastinate or just shut down and back away from the project altogether.
This feeling of overwhelm is something I experienced recently at the end of my year-long Letting-Go Experiment. I had completed my 365-day experiment of releasing one material or non-material item per day. I felt very proud of my accomplishment. However, my major reason for starting this experiment in the first place was still staring me in the face. My office! While the other rooms and storage areas in my home now had been relieved of their excess clutter, my office had not.
I need to begin this story by saying that, typically, organization is one of my strong points, my skills. I like my living space to be clean and uncluttered. The state of my office for the past couple of years has been atypical.
One room in my small home is totally dedicated to my office. While once there had been a futon in my office to accommodate overnight guests, this was now long gone. On every wall, there are bookcases, filing cabinets, or desk surfaces, and all overflowing with stuff. There are also several extra storage bins and boxes jutting out into the room. While some of the clutter involves having too many books, magazines, and working notebooks, most of it involves - what else! - too much loose paper!
Piles of paper cover every surface in my office. Mail - a lot of mail!- (most of it junk, but occasionally something valuable), computer printouts, files waiting to be filed, notebooks full of notes from various conferences, and all sorts of miscellaneous bits and pieces of paper - scraps with important notes or phone numbers. My numerous filing cabinets (I count 15 filing cabinets of various sizes) are crammed with paper, which is one of the reasons why there is so much stuff on the surfaces.
When the computer first became the primary home office tool, one of the selling points was that it would cut down on paper files. In my experience, this has not turned out to be the case. After two or three disastrous computer crashes involving total wipe-outs of my C-Drive in a three-year period, I no longer depend on back-ups. Despite the fact that I do an automatic nightly backup of my C-Drive onto a separate drive, I still keep my important documents in paper form as well. I also print out lots of information from the Internet for my personal or professional research, because I'm not confident that I'll be able to find it again on the web if I go to look for it again down the road.
So, ever since I began my Letting-Go Experiment, in June of 2006, I had my eye on the ultimate prize - a clutter-free, highly functional office. The year came and went and the office was still cluttered and dysfunctional (and my business reflected this in some ways). So, I decided that de-cluttering my office would become my summer project. Well, not my "summer project" at first. My first goal was to complete the project in one week in June. I barely made a dent that week. Then the deadline was changed to the end of June. Then, the end of July. And a few days ago, I re-vamped this deadline once again.
Why? Because this is a project that kept throwing me into overwhelm. Every time I began, one thing led to another, such that nothing really got completed. I might work on the project for several hours and then feel as though I had nothing to show for my efforts. Office organization was on my To Do List every day, but I began to find myself procrastinating. I'd do anything else rather than tackle my office - clean out a closet, take a walk, do errands, read a book, take myself off to a movie, even pay bills (something else "painful" but yet less painful than organizing my office).
Finally, I decided to coach myself through this situation. If I were working with a client who had this challenge, what approaches might I suggest?
First, I asked myself, "Other than the obvious physical mess, what else might be blocking your efforts to clean this place up?"
Eventually, I got to the underlying emotional block. For the past year, I have been thinking about re-designing my business and taking it in some new directions. But I wasn't ready to make the decisions or the changes. So, my energy has been conflicted and scattered, and my office was reflecting this. And, I was hanging on to all my stuff, even things that were seriously outdated, "just in case" I might need them in a new endeavor. However, even though I now recognize that I am in transition in my business, and still have not made any firm decisions, I have come to understand that I cannot function well in chaos and I need to get my "career house" in order.
Next came the understanding that this office project is a large and complex one. I had been treating "de-cluttering my office" as a mini-goal, where in fact it is a Mega-Goal. I began to understand and accept that I could not complete this project in one day or one week or even one month unless this were a full-time job (which it cannot be).
So, then I did what I would encourage my clients to do with this Mega-Goal: I CHUNKED IT DOWN. [This is the main tip in this article!]
On my computer, I set out my Mega-Goal (De-Clutter and Organize My Office). Then I began breaking this Mega-Goal down into mini-goals: projects I could accomplish usually in 30 to 60 minutes - a few might take longer. I looked around my office in a circular direction and identified, listed, and defined each mini-project. Next to each, I put a check-box so that I could easily check each one off as it was completed. Altogether, this project chunked down into 50 mini-projects!
Almost immediately, I felt a sense of relief, and a relaxation of the muscles in my neck and upper back. I did not have to do everything at once. And I could experience a sense of accomplishment for each mini-goal along the way: 50 wins instead of just one!
I also gave myself a different timetable - a minimum of one mini-project a day. Some days, I only have time for one, but I can always find a half-hour to do a little one. Other days, I have time for two or three, or a more time-consuming one. A few, like sorting through old piles of mail, I can do while watching TV at night. So now, I have a more realistic and reasonable time goal: 50 days. Most likely, I will be done ahead of schedule.
Coaches often work with clients on creating SMART goals, these being ones that are:
S = specific
M = measurable
A = attainable
R = reasonable
T = time-related
Chunking this large goal, which was not SMART, into 50 mini-goals that are SMART, is already making all the difference.
So far, I have completed 5 of the 50 mini-projects, or 10% of my goal. Slowly, surfaces long-hidden are reappearing, and I am finding things I thought I'd lost. On the first day, I uncovered a refund check for $73.09 - found money!
And, best of all, my business is beginning to pick up. By about 10%, I figure. This would not come as a surprise to a Feng Shui practitioner, but it did to me - a very pleasant and welcome surprise. I can't wait to see what my business looks like in 50 days!
What is your next big project or Mega-Goal? How are you going about it? It gets much easier if you take it one small chunk at a time.
If you have had experiences similar to this one, I would enjoy hearing from you. And if my story has given you some ideas about how to approach a project that seems overwhelming to you, I would love hearing about that too.
*******************************************************************
Although this Blog site is not set up to be interactive at this time, feel free to contact me with your comments.
Email: connie@conniekomack.com
Web: www.conniekomack.com
When faced with a Mega-Goal, it is easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged. And the typical response to this kind of overwhelm, in addition to frustration and fatigue, is often either to procrastinate or just shut down and back away from the project altogether.
This feeling of overwhelm is something I experienced recently at the end of my year-long Letting-Go Experiment. I had completed my 365-day experiment of releasing one material or non-material item per day. I felt very proud of my accomplishment. However, my major reason for starting this experiment in the first place was still staring me in the face. My office! While the other rooms and storage areas in my home now had been relieved of their excess clutter, my office had not.
I need to begin this story by saying that, typically, organization is one of my strong points, my skills. I like my living space to be clean and uncluttered. The state of my office for the past couple of years has been atypical.
One room in my small home is totally dedicated to my office. While once there had been a futon in my office to accommodate overnight guests, this was now long gone. On every wall, there are bookcases, filing cabinets, or desk surfaces, and all overflowing with stuff. There are also several extra storage bins and boxes jutting out into the room. While some of the clutter involves having too many books, magazines, and working notebooks, most of it involves - what else! - too much loose paper!
Piles of paper cover every surface in my office. Mail - a lot of mail!- (most of it junk, but occasionally something valuable), computer printouts, files waiting to be filed, notebooks full of notes from various conferences, and all sorts of miscellaneous bits and pieces of paper - scraps with important notes or phone numbers. My numerous filing cabinets (I count 15 filing cabinets of various sizes) are crammed with paper, which is one of the reasons why there is so much stuff on the surfaces.
When the computer first became the primary home office tool, one of the selling points was that it would cut down on paper files. In my experience, this has not turned out to be the case. After two or three disastrous computer crashes involving total wipe-outs of my C-Drive in a three-year period, I no longer depend on back-ups. Despite the fact that I do an automatic nightly backup of my C-Drive onto a separate drive, I still keep my important documents in paper form as well. I also print out lots of information from the Internet for my personal or professional research, because I'm not confident that I'll be able to find it again on the web if I go to look for it again down the road.
So, ever since I began my Letting-Go Experiment, in June of 2006, I had my eye on the ultimate prize - a clutter-free, highly functional office. The year came and went and the office was still cluttered and dysfunctional (and my business reflected this in some ways). So, I decided that de-cluttering my office would become my summer project. Well, not my "summer project" at first. My first goal was to complete the project in one week in June. I barely made a dent that week. Then the deadline was changed to the end of June. Then, the end of July. And a few days ago, I re-vamped this deadline once again.
Why? Because this is a project that kept throwing me into overwhelm. Every time I began, one thing led to another, such that nothing really got completed. I might work on the project for several hours and then feel as though I had nothing to show for my efforts. Office organization was on my To Do List every day, but I began to find myself procrastinating. I'd do anything else rather than tackle my office - clean out a closet, take a walk, do errands, read a book, take myself off to a movie, even pay bills (something else "painful" but yet less painful than organizing my office).
Finally, I decided to coach myself through this situation. If I were working with a client who had this challenge, what approaches might I suggest?
First, I asked myself, "Other than the obvious physical mess, what else might be blocking your efforts to clean this place up?"
Eventually, I got to the underlying emotional block. For the past year, I have been thinking about re-designing my business and taking it in some new directions. But I wasn't ready to make the decisions or the changes. So, my energy has been conflicted and scattered, and my office was reflecting this. And, I was hanging on to all my stuff, even things that were seriously outdated, "just in case" I might need them in a new endeavor. However, even though I now recognize that I am in transition in my business, and still have not made any firm decisions, I have come to understand that I cannot function well in chaos and I need to get my "career house" in order.
Next came the understanding that this office project is a large and complex one. I had been treating "de-cluttering my office" as a mini-goal, where in fact it is a Mega-Goal. I began to understand and accept that I could not complete this project in one day or one week or even one month unless this were a full-time job (which it cannot be).
So, then I did what I would encourage my clients to do with this Mega-Goal: I CHUNKED IT DOWN. [This is the main tip in this article!]
On my computer, I set out my Mega-Goal (De-Clutter and Organize My Office). Then I began breaking this Mega-Goal down into mini-goals: projects I could accomplish usually in 30 to 60 minutes - a few might take longer. I looked around my office in a circular direction and identified, listed, and defined each mini-project. Next to each, I put a check-box so that I could easily check each one off as it was completed. Altogether, this project chunked down into 50 mini-projects!
Almost immediately, I felt a sense of relief, and a relaxation of the muscles in my neck and upper back. I did not have to do everything at once. And I could experience a sense of accomplishment for each mini-goal along the way: 50 wins instead of just one!
I also gave myself a different timetable - a minimum of one mini-project a day. Some days, I only have time for one, but I can always find a half-hour to do a little one. Other days, I have time for two or three, or a more time-consuming one. A few, like sorting through old piles of mail, I can do while watching TV at night. So now, I have a more realistic and reasonable time goal: 50 days. Most likely, I will be done ahead of schedule.
Coaches often work with clients on creating SMART goals, these being ones that are:
S = specific
M = measurable
A = attainable
R = reasonable
T = time-related
Chunking this large goal, which was not SMART, into 50 mini-goals that are SMART, is already making all the difference.
So far, I have completed 5 of the 50 mini-projects, or 10% of my goal. Slowly, surfaces long-hidden are reappearing, and I am finding things I thought I'd lost. On the first day, I uncovered a refund check for $73.09 - found money!
And, best of all, my business is beginning to pick up. By about 10%, I figure. This would not come as a surprise to a Feng Shui practitioner, but it did to me - a very pleasant and welcome surprise. I can't wait to see what my business looks like in 50 days!
What is your next big project or Mega-Goal? How are you going about it? It gets much easier if you take it one small chunk at a time.
If you have had experiences similar to this one, I would enjoy hearing from you. And if my story has given you some ideas about how to approach a project that seems overwhelming to you, I would love hearing about that too.
*******************************************************************
Although this Blog site is not set up to be interactive at this time, feel free to contact me with your comments.
Email: connie@conniekomack.com
Web: www.conniekomack.com
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Choice Point - Get a Job or Start a Business?
So many people today face this decision at some point in their working life. Some right out of the gate, after high school or college. Some after being downsized or fired. Some in midlife, when a desire for change is at its peak. Some at retirement.
The question is: which is the best decision for You?
Not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur. There are many factors to consider. Some are internal, or are specific to you. Other factors are external, and are influenced by factors outside yourself, such as economics, business climate, competition, politics, family issues, social issues, finances, and other external factors.
In the next series of Blog articles, we will explore many different aspects of entrepreneurship and what it means to be an entrepreneur. We will start with some of the internal factors, such as personal qualities, risk tolerance, and financial readiness - all meant to help you answer the question, Is Entrepreneurship Right for Me?
Tackling this question, this decision, this choice point, reminds me of the Robert Frost poem, The Road Not Taken. It is a definite choice point in one's life - a decision as large as deciding to marry or to have children. It is a decision that deserves to be carefully considered, for entrepreneurship requires a strong committment. And perhaps, if you choose the entrepreneurial path, you will find yourself one day echoing Frost's words:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less traveled by,
and that has made all the difference.
The question is: which is the best decision for You?
Not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur. There are many factors to consider. Some are internal, or are specific to you. Other factors are external, and are influenced by factors outside yourself, such as economics, business climate, competition, politics, family issues, social issues, finances, and other external factors.
In the next series of Blog articles, we will explore many different aspects of entrepreneurship and what it means to be an entrepreneur. We will start with some of the internal factors, such as personal qualities, risk tolerance, and financial readiness - all meant to help you answer the question, Is Entrepreneurship Right for Me?
Tackling this question, this decision, this choice point, reminds me of the Robert Frost poem, The Road Not Taken. It is a definite choice point in one's life - a decision as large as deciding to marry or to have children. It is a decision that deserves to be carefully considered, for entrepreneurship requires a strong committment. And perhaps, if you choose the entrepreneurial path, you will find yourself one day echoing Frost's words:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less traveled by,
and that has made all the difference.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Exercising Your Mind
We all know that our bodies need exercise on a regular basis. But what about our minds? I never realized how much my mind needed exercising until recently, when I had the following experience.
For the past five weeks, I have been doing full-time temp work as an Administrative Assistant in the Purchasing Department of a local engineering and manufacturing company - a side trip I took to help me solve a cash flow issue in my business. Now that this job is completed, I realize how good it was for me - how much it stretched and exercised my brain. The job required some computer skills, which I had, and it required attention to detail, organization, and the use of memory, logic, focus, and self-discipline.
Could this job have been any further from my profession as a coach, speaker, and writer? For those of you who are familiar with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) - an instrument that assesses personality type and cognitive style - you will understand when I say that this job is best suited to an ISTJ, which I think most people in the department probably are, though I did not test them. (ISTJ stands for Introverted/Sensate/Thinking/Judging). I am an INFP (which stands for Introverted/Intuitive/Feeling/Perceiving). Trust me when I say that, except for the introverted piece, these personality/cognitive styles are total opposites. An ISTJ is a person who, as an introvert, is content to work alone for long periods of time. I had this trait in common with most of the other people in the department. He or she is also logical, rational, analytical, focused, detail-oriented, well-organized, non-emotional and even-tempered. This is a "just-the-facts-Jack" kind of person.
Now, as an INFP (actually, with an E/I split and a P/J split), I tend to be quite different from this most of the time - a creative, imaginative, intuitive, and non-linear thinker, strongly influenced by my feelings, sometimes organized and sometimes not. Furthermore, I wouldn't list my memory as one of my strongest attributes.
Despite these contraindications for this job, I actually took to it like a duck to water. This job challenged me. It required that I focus, concentrate, pay attention to detail, and be highly organized and efficient. It tapped into a part of my mind that is underused - underexercised, if you will. It forced me to learn new things, to remember and master a lot of information, to do tasks in a linear and timely manner, to stay focused and limit distractions, to strive for both speed and accuracy. It exercised and stretched some underutilized aspects of my mind and toned up some underdeveloped behavioral patterns. And so I come out of this experience stronger for it, and in a better position to tackle the next projects before me in my business.
Now, I better understand it when people say that the secret to staying young is keeping your mind active, or the foundation principle we learned in our coach training, "We either grow or we die."
What can you do to exercise your mind? My mother-in-law, who recently passed away at the age of 97, kept her mind active and exercised by doing crossword puzzles daily. For those who prefer numbers, we now have Sudoku. What about taking a class in a subject you've never before studied, or learning a new language, or taking up a new hobby, such as painting, writing, dancing, singing, or learning to play a new instrument? Or, how about taking on a new job or project that you've never done before?
It's time for a tuneup of the mind. How will you tune up yours?
*************************************************************************************
Although this Blog site is not set up to be interactive at this time, feel free to contact me with your comments.
Email: connie@conniekomack.com
Web: www.conniekomack.com
For the past five weeks, I have been doing full-time temp work as an Administrative Assistant in the Purchasing Department of a local engineering and manufacturing company - a side trip I took to help me solve a cash flow issue in my business. Now that this job is completed, I realize how good it was for me - how much it stretched and exercised my brain. The job required some computer skills, which I had, and it required attention to detail, organization, and the use of memory, logic, focus, and self-discipline.
Could this job have been any further from my profession as a coach, speaker, and writer? For those of you who are familiar with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) - an instrument that assesses personality type and cognitive style - you will understand when I say that this job is best suited to an ISTJ, which I think most people in the department probably are, though I did not test them. (ISTJ stands for Introverted/Sensate/Thinking/Judging). I am an INFP (which stands for Introverted/Intuitive/Feeling/Perceiving). Trust me when I say that, except for the introverted piece, these personality/cognitive styles are total opposites. An ISTJ is a person who, as an introvert, is content to work alone for long periods of time. I had this trait in common with most of the other people in the department. He or she is also logical, rational, analytical, focused, detail-oriented, well-organized, non-emotional and even-tempered. This is a "just-the-facts-Jack" kind of person.
Now, as an INFP (actually, with an E/I split and a P/J split), I tend to be quite different from this most of the time - a creative, imaginative, intuitive, and non-linear thinker, strongly influenced by my feelings, sometimes organized and sometimes not. Furthermore, I wouldn't list my memory as one of my strongest attributes.
Despite these contraindications for this job, I actually took to it like a duck to water. This job challenged me. It required that I focus, concentrate, pay attention to detail, and be highly organized and efficient. It tapped into a part of my mind that is underused - underexercised, if you will. It forced me to learn new things, to remember and master a lot of information, to do tasks in a linear and timely manner, to stay focused and limit distractions, to strive for both speed and accuracy. It exercised and stretched some underutilized aspects of my mind and toned up some underdeveloped behavioral patterns. And so I come out of this experience stronger for it, and in a better position to tackle the next projects before me in my business.
Now, I better understand it when people say that the secret to staying young is keeping your mind active, or the foundation principle we learned in our coach training, "We either grow or we die."
What can you do to exercise your mind? My mother-in-law, who recently passed away at the age of 97, kept her mind active and exercised by doing crossword puzzles daily. For those who prefer numbers, we now have Sudoku. What about taking a class in a subject you've never before studied, or learning a new language, or taking up a new hobby, such as painting, writing, dancing, singing, or learning to play a new instrument? Or, how about taking on a new job or project that you've never done before?
It's time for a tuneup of the mind. How will you tune up yours?
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Although this Blog site is not set up to be interactive at this time, feel free to contact me with your comments.
Email: connie@conniekomack.com
Web: www.conniekomack.com
Sunday, September 24, 2006
A Transition Coach in Transition
Transition coaching is my speciality as a Life/Work Empowerment Coach. I coach people who are facing, or are in the midst of, a variety of life, career, or business transitions - people such as:
- College students (and others) wanting to answer the question "What do I want to do when I grow up?"
- Stay-at-home moms wanting to go back to work or start a business
- Men and women who have been downsized, fired, laid off - or have quit in frustration - who want support during a job search or who want to figure out what they REALLY want to do
- People who want to give their lives a complete makeover and want to redesign their total lives; people who want to create and live the life of their dreams, a life that will bring fulfillment and joy
- People relocating geographically who want to get support with planning and executing the move
- People in relationship transitions such as: creating or dissolving of a committed relationship, marriage, birth and family growth, separation, divorce, illness and health crises, and death of a spouse or loved one
- People in a life passage transition - such as mid-life, empty nest, or retirement - who are asking the question, "Ok, so what's next in my life or career or business?"
- People who are asking the deep, soul-searching questions such as: What is my Calling? What is my true Purpose in life? What am I most Passionate about? And how can I live my passion? What are my core Values and Priorities and how can I live my life in alignment with those values and priorities? Who am I, really, at the deepest levels? How will I make a difference in my life?
OK, now having said all that, what happens when a Transition Coach such as myself finds herself in transition? I am in the midst of what I would call a "mega-transition" - one that involves several life and career changes all at the same time.
First, let me say that the reason I am drawn to serving people in transition is that I have been through many, many transitions myself - career and business transitions, relationship transitions, geographical relocation transitions, health transitions, life passage transitions. In the course of all these transitions, I have learned many, many things that are useful to others.
I have also learned this from my experience: A time of transition - and the more challenging the better - is also a time of tremendous personal and/or professional growth. Transition is a catalyst for a cauldron of possibility that can lead to quantum change. It can be a time of profound transformation.
Transitions often create anxiety and fear. Fear of the unknown is normal and natural. My clients experience this, and so do I. Having gone through a number of life and work transitions, I now know that - scary as it is - a transition is the best thing that could happen to me, or to you. When you begin to view a transition as an opportunity, rather than as a threat, the fear lessens, blocks dissolve, and great things begin to happen.
So, how does a Transition Coach get through a transition, especially a "mega-transition"?
By getting help, support, and information, same as my clients do. I work with a trusted coach, a peer support group, a business master-mind group. I enlist the help of friends and family members. I read books, articles. I attend networking meetings, workshops, seminars, and inspirational talks. I research and get information, so that I can make informed choices. I sort things out by writing in my journal, meditating, and taking long walks. I work on eliminating clutter - material and non-material - from my life. I try out some things. And I am suppported by knowing that once I am through this latest transition, I will have even more to offer my clients and my readers.
So, if you, too, are in the midst of a transition, large or small, what are some things you could do that will help you make use of this "cauldron of possibility" to create significant growth and change in your life, career, or business?
*******************************************************************************
Although this Blog site is not set up to be interactive at this time, feel free to contact me with your comments.
Email: connie@conniekomack.com
Web: www.conniekomack.com
- College students (and others) wanting to answer the question "What do I want to do when I grow up?"
- Stay-at-home moms wanting to go back to work or start a business
- Men and women who have been downsized, fired, laid off - or have quit in frustration - who want support during a job search or who want to figure out what they REALLY want to do
- People who want to give their lives a complete makeover and want to redesign their total lives; people who want to create and live the life of their dreams, a life that will bring fulfillment and joy
- People relocating geographically who want to get support with planning and executing the move
- People in relationship transitions such as: creating or dissolving of a committed relationship, marriage, birth and family growth, separation, divorce, illness and health crises, and death of a spouse or loved one
- People in a life passage transition - such as mid-life, empty nest, or retirement - who are asking the question, "Ok, so what's next in my life or career or business?"
- People who are asking the deep, soul-searching questions such as: What is my Calling? What is my true Purpose in life? What am I most Passionate about? And how can I live my passion? What are my core Values and Priorities and how can I live my life in alignment with those values and priorities? Who am I, really, at the deepest levels? How will I make a difference in my life?
OK, now having said all that, what happens when a Transition Coach such as myself finds herself in transition? I am in the midst of what I would call a "mega-transition" - one that involves several life and career changes all at the same time.
First, let me say that the reason I am drawn to serving people in transition is that I have been through many, many transitions myself - career and business transitions, relationship transitions, geographical relocation transitions, health transitions, life passage transitions. In the course of all these transitions, I have learned many, many things that are useful to others.
I have also learned this from my experience: A time of transition - and the more challenging the better - is also a time of tremendous personal and/or professional growth. Transition is a catalyst for a cauldron of possibility that can lead to quantum change. It can be a time of profound transformation.
Transitions often create anxiety and fear. Fear of the unknown is normal and natural. My clients experience this, and so do I. Having gone through a number of life and work transitions, I now know that - scary as it is - a transition is the best thing that could happen to me, or to you. When you begin to view a transition as an opportunity, rather than as a threat, the fear lessens, blocks dissolve, and great things begin to happen.
So, how does a Transition Coach get through a transition, especially a "mega-transition"?
By getting help, support, and information, same as my clients do. I work with a trusted coach, a peer support group, a business master-mind group. I enlist the help of friends and family members. I read books, articles. I attend networking meetings, workshops, seminars, and inspirational talks. I research and get information, so that I can make informed choices. I sort things out by writing in my journal, meditating, and taking long walks. I work on eliminating clutter - material and non-material - from my life. I try out some things. And I am suppported by knowing that once I am through this latest transition, I will have even more to offer my clients and my readers.
So, if you, too, are in the midst of a transition, large or small, what are some things you could do that will help you make use of this "cauldron of possibility" to create significant growth and change in your life, career, or business?
*******************************************************************************
Although this Blog site is not set up to be interactive at this time, feel free to contact me with your comments.
Email: connie@conniekomack.com
Web: www.conniekomack.com
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Success and Fulfillment: What Has Support Got to Do With It?
In the September 4th online issue of the New York Times, tennis giant Andre Agassi, after playing his last professional match, is quoted as addressing his fans in this way:
"The scoreboard said I lost today, but what the scoreboard doesn't say is what it is I have found. Over the last 21 years, I have found loyalty. You have pulled for me on the court and also in life. I found inspiration. You have willed me to succeed, sometimes even in my lowest moments, and I've found generosity. You have given me your shoulders to stand on to reach for my dreams, dreams I could never have reached without you."
It strikes me that this is one of the most elegant and profound expressions of gratitude that I have ever heard or read.
Agassi's quote also reminds me of John Donne's words, "No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the Continent, a part of the main...."
We all need each other. We need each other's shoulders to stand on.
I confess that I am one of those people who finds it challenging to ask for support, though I am beginning to change this. I seem to have a willfully independent spirit - an "I-can-do-it-myself" mentality. But as I mature, I am coming to understand Donne's message - that no man or woman stands alone - and so I have found Agassi's words both inspiring and instructive. Perhaps you have too?
In order to have shoulders to stand on, we need to do three things:
- be willing to ask for support
- be open to receiving that support
- acknowledge, appreciate, and treasure that support, as Agassi has so graciously acknowledged his fans.
These three things are not always easy for some people to do. The first and second steps have been especially challenging to me on many occasions.
As you continue to build and reach for dreams in your life, whose shoulders are you standing on? If your answer includes one name or many names, have you told them so lately?
If the answer is "no one's", then how could you begin to reach out today and start building a support system for yourself?
And for whom are you a shoulder to stand on? What does it take to be a shoulder to stand on? And how are these two things connected - being the shoulder and being the stander?
It suddenly becomes very clear to me that this interdependence, this interlocking web of supporting and being supported, is the very essence of human connection, and is the foundation for success and fulfillment.
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