Placebo or Nocebo: Which Pill Will You Swallow?

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to get my Swine Flu immunization. Quite a few people in my circle have been getting sick, and the media's pervasive coverage of this illness would make it seem that the pending pandemic is potentially pernicious enough to rival the Black Plague or something so dramatic. So, with that, I determined, "Why not?"

While waiting in the doctor's office, I grabbed the news magazine on the top and began reading. I cannot tell you the date or name of the publication, nor the name of the article, but what I read was quite fascinating indeed.

Most of us are familiar with the placebo effect, where an inert pill (commonly sugar) is given to a patient who is then told that the said pill will have therapeutic effect. Lo and behold, the condition of some patients improves, because the patient merely believes that the placebo will help them.

The article I read spoke that the opposite effect or nocebo sometimes occurs with patients who are told that a treatment might have undesirable side effects. We have seen how pharmaceutical companies (almost laughably) toss in their "undesirable side effects" disclaimers in the television ads for new medications. It turns out that when people are under the impression that a medication "may hurt" or bring about these undesirable side effects when given an inert treatment, they often feel the negative effects.

This got me thinking of the negativity that surrounds recession times. How does the media coverage of mass layoffs and unemployment rates impact your perception? I often find myself acknowledging that accomplishing various career or job search goals is difficult because of the times we are facing. Am I doing my clients (or myself) a favor by "pragmatically" observing that there are less jobs out there right now, therefore making their job search more difficult--or am I rather feeding a nocebo negativity, deterring them from an optimism that would feed their motivation and allow them to remain persistent in the hopes that they will soon find success?

After reading this article, I am determined to stick with the latter perception, and dwell on the positive as Pollyannaish as this may be. Perception is key. Those that are able to ignore the naysayers and who persistently pursue their goals and dreams are the ones who can change the world, innovate, and achieve the most. How does your perception of yourself, your situation, and of the greater world around you impact your achievement? Do you allow failures to derail you, or do you see them rather as opportunities to learn so that you will ultimately be successful toward whatever it is you are questing for?

Your attitude or perception can either be a placebo or nocebo regardless of what situation you face. If the distance between hard and impossible is a thousand miles wide, imagine then what can be done, no matter what barriers you currently face. Pablo Picasso said, "Everything you can imagine is real." Can you imagine a better economy? A better job? A better life? A better world? Take the positive pill and you can find whatever remedy you are seeking.

Surviving the Recession Drought

I don’t suspect that I will ever look at nature with the ego-dissolving spiritual intensity of Eckhart Tolle or his Transcendentalist predecessors, but I do enjoy the meditative solitude of being out in nature and am often inspired by it. And so yesterday, I decided to fully enjoy an hour-long hike. In that brief outing, I did have some remarkable revelations. First, I realized that though I have now been exercising regularly (thanks, Craig), I have a long way to go if I want to tackle steep inclines at a brisk pace. But more significantly, I was inspired by the mostly dry and dead vegetation. Brown and tan weeds abound throughout the hills of Southern California in the summertime, a side-effect of the sunny and cloud-free climate that otherwise makes the area so popular. Though these dead and brittle weeds are more likely to spark up in flames than to spark inspiration, yesterday I noticed something remarkable. While most of the plants looked dead, some plants somehow remained green in the midst of a drought-arid season. How can it be that these plants thrive while their immediate neighbors are dying from an unfavorable season? What made these plants better adapted to handle the harsh environment that they were planted in? Were they merely fortunate to have had their seeds land in a shadier area or somewhere closer to the water table, or was it more that they had the proper genetic make-up to flourish?
These same questions can be applied to people in a recession economy. With less wealth, many jobs have dried up. And many who still have jobs are feeling the stress of pending layoffs and carrying the slack of a lean workforce. Having access to a rainmaker might be nice right about now in this economy, but let us remember: we are not plants. Unlike plants, we do not need to be rooted in an environment that does not allow us to thrive. And not only can we move, but we also have potential to adapt quickly to our changing environment to get more favorable results. You may feel ties to your unfulfilling job/occupation just because you have been planted there for so long. Perhaps you are afraid to move because for the most part, nothing looks better around you (there really was not much green on my hike yesterday.) Maybe you are feeling resentful at your peers who are experiencing success right now, while for you, every day is a struggle. Perhaps you have not discovered changes you might make in yourself that might bring you greater success with the cards that you have been dealt. So you grew up in a dysfunctional home, think you are too shy to network and market yourself, or you have always wanted to do something but are too afraid or just don’t know how to start. How far can the apple travel from the tree? How much can you grow, adapt, and learn? And what changes/adaptations might you strive for so that you can flourish?
And maybe it is most important to appreciate things already in you that can make life favorable. What is unique and special about you? What things have you done already that have rewarded you with achievement or success? Perhaps there is nothing wrong with you or what you are doing (or are trying to do) and now is just a test of perseverance and endurance. I assure you that soon after the temperatures cool and a few rains kick in, some of these same plants that looked dead yesterday will spring back to life, and begin to even flourish more than their neighbors who now seemingly have an advantage in the dry season.
Move, change, or stay rooted in persistence and determination: you have options. Though it is not always clear what option is best, whatever option you choose for yourself, carry with it a seed of hope and optimism—for that is the one thing that allows life to abound in any environment.

Be Incredible

A few weeks ago I was watching a television airing of The Incredibles. Don’t ask why I sometimes do this when I own the DVD of a film, but that would be another topic. What I wanted to dwell on is more like what Pamela Slim does with Cinderella and appreciate how accurately career development is portrayed in a story marketed for children.
At the beginning of the movie, Mr. Incredible loves his job as a super hero so much, that he nearly misses his own wedding in order to do his job. Though I would hope that this is not the extreme it would take to prove that your job is ideally fitting, it is certainly a sign that you have found your element. This is then contrasted with when he is compelled to give up his job as superhero and try to fit in the banal and dubious role of insurance clerk. Are his weight gain and general dissatisfaction at home all due to this change in career? We would have to at least suspect such.
Again, we see how he is still drawn to what is most authentic, surreptitiously sneaking out with Frozone to fight crime. What do you find yourself voluntarily doing with your free time? What do your leisure pursuits possibly communicate about what you might be doing for your work life?
Lastly, we get the immediate transformation once Mr. Incredible is summoned to the mysterious island to fight the evil robot. The results are dramatic: he is empowered and invigorated, he is inspired to take better care of his health, passion has returned to his marriage, and he is better connected with his family in general. This is perhaps the most significant picture message that can be derived from the film. The insurance job is so exaggeratedly unfitting as Mr. Incredible can barely fit in his confining cubicle/office chair.
miserableatoffice
Are you “stuck” in a job because you are afraid to leave it because of the “security” it provides for your family? If the job makes you miserable, what are you really providing for your family anyway, when your energy and presence is perhaps the most significant gift you can provide? And is it any wonder that when the entire family is allowed to be their true selves, the bond between them is the greatest?
The truth is, when you have found the most fitting work, it makes you feel incredible. How would you like to feel like a rock star or superhero every day? And then imagine what that would do for every aspect of your life.

Is Your Work Worth Dying For?

The other evening, I watched a fascinating lecture on UCTV, the television channel that broadcasts lectures from the University of California. The particular lecture I was watching was one given by Laura A. Schmidt, titled Health in America: Whats Health Reform Got to Do with It? In it, Dr. Schmidt discusses the sociological dynamics of healthcare, and identifies something that has long been asserted by career development professionals. She suggests that the less autonomy people have at work, the more stress they tend to experience in life. And the more stress one experiences, the more likely they are to also experience the most damaging health care problems experienced by Americans. Her point was effectively made by graphs showing the incidence of major health problems correlated with social status. Those who are marginalized or who have lower status were more susceptible to health ailments, while those who have the greatest amount of control in their work had the least health problem incidence.
Though her points were made to influence how the United States approaches health care policy, they make an equally compelling statement about the workforce of the country. Is it really worth it to stay in a job that has you so stressed out that you are miserable? If you consider how EXPENSIVE health care is in its present state, and how a job where you do not feel empowered with autonomy or competent enough to feel like you are effective can be harmful to your health or even kill you, is it worth it?
How much control and autonomy do you have at your work? Are your daily tasks the kinds of tasks that you are good at, that you enjoy doing? If you are lacking in your work in either regard, take a moment to consider how your job is impacting your health. Does your job leave you feeling so drained that you are not motivated to exercise? Is it so stressful that you resort to not-so-healthy practices like binge eating, eating high-fat or high-sugary foods, drinking to excess, or using other harmful drugs? If so, strive for something better and work towards it. Work that makes you feel good about yourself will probably motivate you to also take better care of your health. So when you do this, I imagine, you are taking a step toward healthy living, and you might be more naturally inclined to be healthy in more areas in your life. Imagine if everyone loved their jobs. If that were the case, perhaps there would be no need for health care reform, because there would be no crisis in health costs to begin with.

Brush That Dirt Off Your Shoulder

Approximately six months ago I began the process of transferring and transforming my blog from an old site to a new site. Though this process began with a passionate fury, I found myself bogged down when it came to deciding which WordPress theme I should use. I am still as frugal as they come—so I limited myself to free themes, and even with that limit—there were ENDLESS options, and none that I came upon were something that I liked—something that I could call ME. Months passed with me stuck only on choosing a theme. And then, I found one that was good enough. But by then, I felt so badly about not writing for so long that it then took a month or two for me to get back on my mission and do what I set out to do in this blog which was to write honest, inspirational, and sometimes witty blog entries sharing my knowledge and experience. I procrastinated. I procrastinated because I was dismayed that my way of establishing a new blog format and domain was taking a hiatus of over six months and essentially turning my new blog into an instant ghost town. I guess the kick I needed was the combination of reading a blog posting from Leo Babauta from Zen Habits about killing excuses and a Facebook posting on Independence Day from fitness trainer

Craig Ballantyne:“If you fall ‘off the wagon’, cut your losses, don’t worry about it, and get right back on track. Immediately. It’s minor damage that can be dealt with.”

I have given others similar advice in the past—but admittedly, it is more difficult to step back into something after you have let it slide for a while. I am back, determined to bring new life to my domains—virtually and in reality. And here is the essence of success in career and in all of life’s endeavors: do not get lost in barriers, setbacks, insignificant details, or general comfort and complacency. My inability to choose a blog theme could easily be related to the existential challenge we all face which is connecting with the right theme for your unique self. When we are in a period of transition, it is sometimes difficult to create a new path or theme for ourselves. Though this consideration is most important, the pitfall is getting lost in possibilities and not making progress at all. Wherever you are in life, stay committed to your continual growth and dedicated to understanding your unique God-given role in the universe and how to use that role to your greatest potential.

Change You Need

Obama is moments away from taking office. Already there are naysayers criticizing his lofty promises or accusing him of being an extension of the crooked politics that abound in Illinois. Even many who voted for him and currently support him are somewhat sceptical about his immediate ability to attack all the the problems his administration will inherit.

Regardless of how you feel about the new President, there is something to be said about his promise for change and the bold willingness he has to lead the United States. Considering the great social strides that have been made between the dreams of Martin Luther King Jr. and the historical magnificence of what is to occur tomorrow, there is amazing hope and possibility in change.

But what about personal change? Perhaps circumstances in your life are troubling or even overwhelming to you. I have seen a lot of people who have had difficulty finding work or finding work that is enough to provide sustenance for their families. I have worked with those that hate their jobs, but still continue to stay in them. The first thing I try to remind these people (as I sometimes must remind myself) is that although our efforts to improve our lives or solve our problems are not always met with success, real change and improvement are only possible with effort. Complacency and denial are far worse enemies than the problems we face themselves, because there is little hope that the problems will go away if they are never faced.

To make this point while also acknowledging the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. and the pending inaugural history, I quote the great writer, James Baldwin, who wrote powerfully for the social change that he believed in an age of institutionalized racism and segregation:

"Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced."

Now, being the time of the new year and the time of a new executive administration is a good time to reflect on the changes you would like in your own life. Be bold and face the areas in your life that need to be changed. Courageously face areas that need to be improved. Face the things you would like to change today, and hopefully the result you will have is being able to face a better tomorrow.

Facebook Insanity

It took quite a while and a whole lot of resistance, but three weeks ago, I signed up for Facebook as an additional means for me to expand my network and general branding. I had avoided Facebook because I was worried its application was less professional and sophisticated than what I was already using. Moreover, already on Twitter and LinkedIn for sometime, it did not make sense for me to add anything else because I really did not want to be too preoccupied with social networking management.

Nonetheless, one of my best friends entreated me to try it—and I have to say I have really enjoyed the experience so far and am amazed at its potential. But I do have some warnings about the pitfalls that one (including me) can easily fall into. I think I can assume that most professionals are aware that it is not advisable to post anything questionable because employers will do background checks for anything dubious. Scrupulously, I naturally only posted my professional profile picture and some of my favorite pictures of me with the kids. Still I could not anticipate what happened to me once I did sign up. The majority of my Facebook friends were old high school friends from twenty years ago. In high school, I was a prankster—and it was not long before I allowed myself to regress to my high school mind set in my Facebook interactions. There are countless silly applications on Facebook. You can pass around a drink, throw snowballs, invite others to play online games, kidnap others, give hugs, kisses, and somethings that I think are unmentionable. And in the three weeks that I have been on Facebook, all of these things happened to me. So much for maintaining a professional image. This in part was the inspiration for me to do my last post on being as mad as hell--a voice that was certainly more alive in me as a teenager.

Fortunately, one can do a few things to escape this miry mess. I have included a few that I am aware of:

• Create more than one profile, and have one profile that is strictly professional, restricting access to your other profiles.
• In the Facebook controls, you can control what information gets posted on your wall and broadcasted to others. If you do not want the rest of the world to know that you completed a drug deal in the game Mob Wars, simply deactivate the posts so that this information is not broadcast. Additionally, all posts can be deleted—so if you forgot to exclude an inappropriate post, you can still erase it before it becomes damaging.
• You can “hide” from individuals who you do not want to associate with your Facebook profile.

Now if only someone could advise me on dealing with the present addiction I have with some of these games my friends relentlessly invite me to.

Get Mad as Hell

I don't know why it came to mind today, but for some reason I thought of one of my favorite movie monologues of all time. The monologue is from Network. The movie is now over 30 years old, but the words and details of this monologue written by Paddy Chayefsky could have just as easily been written to describe the events of the day:



Howard: I don't have to tell you things are bad. Everybody knows things are bad. It's a depression. Everybody's out of work or scared of losing their job. The dollar buys a nickel's worth. Banks are going bust. Shopkeepers keep a gun under the counter. Punks are running wild in the street and there's no one anywhere that seems to know what to do with us. Now into it. We know the air is unfit to breathe, our food is unfit to eat, and we sit watching our TVs while some local newscaster tells us that today we had 15 homicides and 63 violent crimes as if that's the way it's supposed to be. We know things are bad. Worse than bad. They're crazy. It's like everything everywhere is going crazy so we don't go out anymore. We sit in a house as slowly the world we're living in is getting smaller and all we say is, "Please, at least leave us alone in our living rooms. Let me have my toaster, and TV, and my steel belted radials and I won't say anything." Well I'm not going to leave you alone. I want you to get mad. I don't want you to protest. I don't want you to riot. I don't want you to write to your congressman because I wouldn't know what to tell you to write. I don't know what to do about the depression and the inflation and the Russians and the crying in the streets. All I know is first you've got to get mad. You've got to say, "I'm a human being. God Dammit, my life has value." So, I want you to get up now. I want all of you to get up out of your chairs. I want you to get up right now and go to the window, open it, and stick your head out, and yell, "I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!" I want you to get up right now. Get up. Go to your windows, open your windows, and stick your head out, and yell, "I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!" Things have got to change my friends. You've got to get mad. You've got to say, "I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!" Then we'll figure out what to do about the depression and the inflation and the oil crisis. But first get up out of your chairs, open your window, stick your head out and yell, "I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!"

I borrowed this transcript from the people over at http://www.whysanity.net/. Though this monologue is rich with content, there are only two things I would like to comment on.:

1) This scene is a prime example that you must be happy with your job, because this breakdown is a dramatization of what your potential burnout might be if you don't. Don't wait until reach this stage--strive for work that you love.

2) In bad times, it often pays to get mad. The problems that Howard Beale and the world at large are facing in the movie are too overwhelming for a simple solution--but the simple declaration that you are no longer willing to accept your dissatisfaction--that your life indeed has value--is a liberating step, and therefore a step in the right direction.

Maybe if you allow yourself to get a little bit mad, you can break out of the trap of complacency which has allowed your life to become other than what you would like it to be. Maybe if we all get a little bit mad, we can make the world a better place.

Your Inspiring Book

It was just the other week when I wrote about getting life back into a sense of balance. Since then, I have made progress in my own life, moving in the direction of my choice, but I acknowledge that I still need to take greater charge and face hurdles that I have still avoided.

Today, I read a most-inspiring posting on this topic from Gail over at Inspire Me Today. If you ever start to feel like you are an actor in your life instead of the author, here is an excellent framing that will help remind you to take charge and move toward what you really want, making the most of everyday.

Here's a small excerpt of Gail's posting, Get Out of the Book:

Just because the world is hurled at me- I don’t have to catch it! I have the choice in that moment to jump in and play, or not. Once I remembered that I am the author, everything became easier. Nothing was as serious as it seemed just moments before. I have the power to make the choice to play the game or not- and today, I’m just not playing. I shut the book and put it down. There are more fun things to do, so instead, I’m rewriting the script to fit the day I choose to experience.

Take time to reflect on how you are approaching each day, and dwell on how you wish to write it. Even if things are thrown at you, you are the author of your attitude and the way you therefore create and perceive the story of your life.

Miracles abound

I recently picked up the latest Reader's Digest, and in it was an Einstein quote I had never seen before:

"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."

This is a fantastic framing of the half-full bucket or optimistic vision coming from one of the greatest minds in history. These are indeed tough times for many, and when life becomes difficult, it can be commensurately difficult to see a silver lining.

There will always be challenges and misfortunes in life, but are your eyes open only to the negative or banal--or are you able to see how amazing and wonderful and miraculous the universe is? How you live your life is your choice, so accordingly decide which life for you is most fulfilling and set your mind on that vision.

Success

Here's a great quote from John Wooden, the best coach ever:

"Success is the peace of mind, which is the direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming."

Success is more growth than it is actual attainment or achievement. Do you have this kind of peace of mind? Are you striving for your absolute best?

Elusive Life Balance

The present transitions in my life have inspired me to reveal what my internal motivational coach is prodding in a self-talk of sorts. Honestly, I am struggling. I feel like my life is out of balance, and I am not focused on moving beyond where I do not want to be and moving forward in the direction that I chose to go. And this is more related to my life at home than it is with my job, but career consists of all of the facets of one’s life and is not limited to paid occupations.

For one, I have found myself too busy to be the loyal blogger that I set out to be, and yet I know I have the kind of ideas that potentially can inspire others daily. Why have I not found the time to dedicate myself to this enjoyment? Whenever my life becomes more of what I feel I have to do and less of what I want to do, I try to reassess what I am doing and regain the balance that I have somehow relinquished.

What gives you energy? What drives you? How much of your waking hours are you doing such things? Ideally, whether your quest is for any combination of fulfillment, enjoyment, actualization, meaning, productivity, or leaving behind a legacy, the goal is to have this vitality in the largest proportion possible. This vitality for you might be only one thing, or a fine mix of many things. For some, it is recreational fun, for others it is excelling in a gift or talent, or perhaps it is the satisfaction of making a difference.

The trick of life balance is to take a moment to analyze how you are spending each day. Are you doing what you want to do with your life? If not, are you taking risks and making sacrifices that will help you grow and develop in a way that will ultimately get you there? If your life is anything otherwise, it is time for you to challenge yourself. Take a risk. Be courageous. Persevere through adversity. Dream and take charge.

Think life as similar to the journey of the tightrope walker. Even if the path of life were as linear and tight as a tightrope, one must constantly adjust their balance bar to successfully get anywhere. Add in the chaos and curves that reality throws in, and realize that the “balance” in life is the result of vigilant efforts to constantly adjust without ever hesitating too long when the feeling of falling seems to overwhelm. Instead, maintain your composure when you otherwise feel you might lose your step. Move forward, onward, above, and beyond. With the right balance, you can go far and do amazing things.

3 Tips for The Resilient Job Hunter

In a tough economy, the job search is even tougher. Valiant efforts such as multiple resume submissions, job fair attendance, and contacting everyone in your network sometimes result in little or no reward. I have coached people who seem to be doing everything right, and yet for whatever reason, they still do not get their desired result. And it can even be more difficult when you are rewarded with an interview or two only to not hear back, since at that point, it is almost impossible not to get your hopes up high. In order to survive, a job searcher must not allow these things to get them down and stay active in their efforts. Though a heavy setback might bring you down, it is critical to bounce right back and be as resilient as possible. Though there are many ways to do this, and it is often a matter of knowing and taking rein of your own psyche, here are some basic tips to help keep you on your feet rather than feel defeated:

1) Keep your bucket half full. Pollyanna might be a silly caricatured rendering of this, but there is something to be said about continually reframing and adjusting your attitude and perspective so that you can see any given situation in a favorable light. Instead of focusing on the lack of response from employers, I try to emphasize the accomplishment of my efforts themselves. I could dwell on the fact that the last ten applications and resume submission I had resulted in no response, OR I could dwell on how efficient I was at customizing my resume for each position and getting it out there in an equally efficient manner. You have control of your efforts—so emphasize you attention at how successful you are in the effort itself—not on the results. And no matter how significant your misfortune is, do all that you can to keep your sense of joy in sight. One way to do this is to create your own rewards for your efforts. Set aggressive goals for how you will seek a job, but also identify and plan to balance this with doing something good for yourself. I typically go out for ice cream or some simple pleasure like that after going through an interview. A natural reward for networking efforts is you get to have lunches and dinners with many of your friends.

2) Speaking of friends, it is vitally important to have a support group or some sort of advocate to support you through the job search challenge. Career counseling or coaching can be great for this, as working with a counselor will give you instant feedback on your approach and provide you with the encouragement that only having an advocate can give. A word of caution though: avoid the naysayers. Your friends might have the best intentions in helping you, but if you are only getting negative feedback and not enough constructive support, you can be further brought down via your associations rather than having them as a main resiliency support.

3) Fill your mind with inspiring stories of underdogs in the past who have overcome great obstacles. Everyone loves stories of those who beat the odds, and realistically, in most job searches the odds are against you too. What better time then to dwell on those who made the impossible possible, filling your mind with their examples of how every setback--no matter how great--did not stop them on their quest. You too have that kind of power—so dwell on that hope and belief that you will beat the odds no matter how many setbacks it takes for you to get there. Steve Jobs in his commencement speech to Stanford stated this idea in another inspiring way—you must connect the dots behind you; it is impossible to connect the dots ahead. Believe that all you go through has value and meaning, and no setback will stop you.

Keep in Touch

I apologize for not having a posting up over the last few weeks. It has been a crazy month for me with a new job, and helping many others find jobs as well. The break did inspire me to write on a very important topic: keeping in touch. You can find this latest post on The Talent Buzz Blog. The title is Keep in Touch. I submitted there for a contest, so be sure to visit and tell me what you think!

I hope to do a better job keeping in touch--and hopefully part of that will be more regular postings again.

Readers feel free to send me questions, because my greatest motivation is helping others, and so if I am given a question I am likely to immediately respond!

Send questions to me here.

Rage Against the Machine

The PSFK blog recently posted a startling story about a phenomenon called "IT Rage." Their source story from Pocket Lint reports that nearly three quarters of respondents had hurled an electronic gadget in a fit of rage. Though my wife might tell you that I have had issues with anger management, I can never remember harming anything--including my computer or other gadgets. It is amusing though that my fellow blogger The Undercover Lawyer has been posting You Tube content of people going crazy on their office equipment at work for his podcast on hostile workplaces.

The truth of the matter is that all of us find ourselves in stressful situations where our angry impulses can make us behave in unflattering ways. But aside from anger management, there is much to be said about how some good career advice or career development knowledge can help prevent such embarrassing blowups. The most abusive people in the workplace are also commonly the most miserable. If they were happy about their work, they would not have such anger to pass on to their subordinates or fellow workers (or computers).

If you perceive that you are constantly stressed out at work, you might ask yourself if there is an environment that would allow you to thrive. Why spend the majority of your life being miserable? Especially when that misery might be putting your fellow workers and office equipment at risk. If you do not know what it is that would make you happy--go find yourself a good career professional and begin a path toward greater joy and fulfillment.

Something to Believe In

Forgive me for potentially alluding to a cheesy ballad from glam rock days, but it did seem like a catchy title for today. After reading this, you could say that I might have gone with a more noteworthy song from the same era, but now to the point: We all have the potential to live lives with passion and purpose so strong that we would rather die than relinquish what we live for.

The inspiration comes from Joan of Arc:

"One life is all we have and we live it as we believe in living it. But to sacrifice what you are and to live without belief, that is a fate more terrible than dying.”

In an age of cynicism and people compromising themselves, this quote carries a timeless charisma. How are you spending each day? Are you doing the work that allows you to express your unique talents? Are you staying true to yourself and your convictions? Think of the passion and sense of purpose found in all heroic figures and realize that you too can make your life that meaningful. Strive for this and overcome the fears that hold you back. We all have the potential to live exciting and meaningful lives, so do all you can to live up to it.

Practicing What I Preach

I have been holding out on making an announcement, as I know it is only prudent not to count chickens before they are hatched. But next week, I will be leaving a most gratifying job, and moving on to a new challenge.

Though the title of this blog reflects my current job title as Career Counselor, as well as my master's degree specialization, my new title will be Vocational Evaluator. I will still be offering what I feel I do best, which is to provide career counseling services, but I will also be using a lot more assessments as a main tool for evaluating people who need assistance reincorporating themselves back into the workforce. This was a difficult transition, as the job I am leaving has been spectacular. So why would I leave a job that I absolutely love?

Truthfully, I have never provided counseling service to people who love their jobs. People typically come to career counselors for assistance finding jobs or getting out of jobs that they do not like. Still, whenever I meet with people, it is not uncommon for me to tell them that their job search should never end. One of the biggest career development follies is that once people find something, they then allow themselves to get comfortable and wait until conditions are less than favorable before they make their next move. Though you may be one of the few that lands into something that exists and continues to be fulfilling throughout your career lifetime, most people should stay focused on their professional development and be ready to leave their positions at any given moment. Savvy professionals must vigilantly stay ahead of the curve by always looking for the next step--and always being ready for that matter. As John Wooden said (to my recollection): When opportunity strikes, it is already too late.

When was the last time you updated your resume? Do you maintain your network contacts and/or are building up new ones? Do you know what the present job market looks like? If the work in your industry dried up or got over saturated, would you know what you might transition to--and would you be prepared? These questions might frighten you, but I assure you they are much more frightening when the ground you are standing on gets pulled from under your feet.

I am actually glad I was prepared and decided to make my move. This move ended up being fortuitous indeed. One week after I gave my notice, my organization had its annual meeting. Our nonprofit fundraising had been impacted by the economy, and they are going to have to make major budget cuts, including possible layoffs. Though I think my position would have been secured if I stayed, it is nice knowing that I will not have to deal with that insecurity, and I will also escape the overall impact this will have on the organizational workload and morale.

I did not see that coming, but my proactivity prevented me from being blindsided, and now I will move to a position in an organization that is growing, and will geometrically increase my knowledge of career assessments, among other things.

If you love your job, do show that you are eager to stay. But, for your own sake always be ready to go. Are you ready?

Commuting for a Living

I bought a new car today--an extravagant practice my prudent self tries to avoid for at least 10 years. It's fun, but let's face it: it's a horrible investment and most dealers are not very kind at all, and going through this process is especially challenging for a guile-free idealist like myself.

My old car was less than 6 years old and had just over 70K miles on it. It ran great, and made a fantastic family car. So why did I rush to the dealer to get rid of my vehicle? For the very same reason the masses of commuters are doing the same thing. It's all about the price of gas.

See, my old vehicle was a Jeep Grand Cherokee. A year ago, I could have sold it for over $10,000. Today, I was thankful I could trade it in for half that. Nobody is buying SUV's anymore, unless they are wealthy enough to care less about it. The opposite trend is also apparent. Looking for a hybrid car? Expect to pay the same amount you would for a mid-level luxury vehicle if you are even able to find one at a dealership.

But here's the sad truth, though my new car is not a hybrid, it still gets nearly twice the mileage of my Jeep, and where gas prices are now, most of my car payments will be contained by the amount I have saved in gas. If gas prices go up yet more (and everyone says they will), then I might have my entire payment covered by what I save, so I wasted no time to make this proactive move.

Aside from making the desperate move I made today, commuters are dealing with gas prices in a variety of ways. Take a look at Alexandra Levit's Blog for some additional ways that my fellow commuters are getting by.

By the way, I have made progress dealing with car dealers, thanks to Edmunds.com. I was able to get my car at the price I wanted, and was hardly hassled in the process.

Burning Passion

My younger brother has been a Los Angeles City firefighter for over 10 years. Though he has always enjoyed adrenaline and the physical challenge of various sports, for the longest time, I would never have guessed that he would select firefighting as a career.

Why?

Well, let's just say that when he was very little, the sight of flames terrified him. I remember our first family trip to Disneyland, going on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, and him screaming in horror at the sight of fake burning logs as our little ship passed through the ride. This fear remained until he was nearly a teenager, at which point, it became more of a curious obsession. Of this, I remember him rushing out of the house whenever he'd hear sirens to get a good look at where they were headed, and to make sure that the flames they might be reporting to were nowhere near our house.

In his late teens and first adult years, he had little career ideation, but one major event helped him transform a fearful obsession into a lifetime passion. In the early 90's, Los Angeles was beleaguered with fires, so much so, that firefighters everywhere called on community members for volunteer assistance. This random event (though fires have been common in the area), gave my brother the opportunity to face what he once feared, helping put out flames and saving horses and livestock.

The message here is that we all have the potential to transform. My brother has always had a fascination for fire, but the way he perceived it drastically changed. How can you change your perspective so that what you fear most becomes a welcome challenge that you can conquer and proceed further toward actualizing your dreams?

Passion Portfolio

I like to follow the Careers Section of the Condé Nast Portfolio.com website because, among other things, it has weekly career snapshots of individuals in some unusual occupations. This week they did a write-up on professional poker player, Tom Schneider. While Mr. Schneider was once a successful CEO for a midsized company, he now experiences wide success doing something that he is good at, passionate about, and thoroughly enjoys (although he is not crazy about taking money away from friends). And interestingly enough, a professional poker player can make upwards of 12 million dollars annually.

If you are not doing work that you are passionate about, there are many interesting and inspiring stories like Mr. Schneider's on this web page where individuals have given up successful careers in order to follow their passions.