Each audio answer will open in a new window

Am I “Called” or Just Talented?

Candy Business Thrives During Economic Down Times

Don’t forget:
No More Mondays Cruise
48Days.net

Each audio answer will open in a new window.

Introduction

How do I write an effective bio that brings in my history, my story, my accomplishments, and even my faith?

I could really use some career/business/vocational advice. I will turn 47 in January, but sometimes feel as if I haven’t grown up yet. I am an artist. Sometimes I feel as if I’m still waiting to grow up, looking to see my childhood dreams realized.

Please explain how do you hear God and His guidance? I have spent time in His Word & I still do not hear anything or sense that small quiet voice in my spirit. I would welcome any advice you have.

I have a book idea that would help people increase their income in hourly wage jobs. Good model? Or back to the drawing board?

A listener gives a word of encouragement on the planned “No More Mondays Cruise”.

What’s the possibility for a lowly analyst to make the switch to private equity and capital markets?

I have a Masters Degree. What’s the opportunity cost of getting a 2nd Masters Degree, this one in Counseling?

Should I soft transition my current jobs to free up time to create do-it-yourself ebooks, cd’s, etc.?

Would you have any career or job search advice for widows/widowers who are looking for work under the most stressful of circumstances?

I am 63 years old, I worked for a magazine distributor for 30 years as a route man after they went out of business I tried to sell cars for six years but was not successful. I guess it’s too late for me to find a job I like and make more than $8.00 an hour? If you have any suggestions I would be happy to hear them.

Did you ever find anyone who was able to sell your Spanish language books?

Closing

Thanks so much for stopping by! 

Since you are here, we expect you aren’t willing to settle for where you are right now in your job.  So… don’t!  Instead of succumbing to the current waves of change, learn ways to ride it to personal success in your work.

You are invited to attend the Free Preview Meeting this Thursday, October 15th at 5:30pm on the UCF campus (Barbara Ying CMMS, Bldg #81) to learn more about 48 Days to the Work You Love seminar. 

Karen and Ben Kim will facilitate this encouraging and energizing opportunity to help you find the work you love!

Snacks will be served as you get your questions answered and get to preview the materials first-hand. Free parking will be offered to those who need it (non-UCF personnel).

Contact for directions and questions: Ben at 407-365-2332  or  benbkim@yahoo.com or Karen at 407-823-0887 or ktinsley@mail.ucf.edu

What is this all about? Click on the link below to learn more details with videos and more:

http://benkim3step.com/?p=1384

A Summary: 48 Days to the Work You Love Workshop

This course is a motivational workshop that teaches how to identify and secure employment based on his/her skills and abilities, personality, values, dreams and passions—rather than based solely on job history. The workshop teaches thought patterns, behaviors and principles of success using examples from the lives of iconic figures in our culture and history (Henry David Thoreau, Helen Keller, Wayne Gretzky and many others). During the workshop, the student will develop a personal mission statement, a life plan, specific 1-month, 3-month, 6-month, 1-year, 5-year and 10-year goals, and will actually carry out a defined job-search or business start-up process. The course material encourages traditional employment for those who prefer it and entrepreneurship for those who desire self-employment.

Come see us on Thursday!  We look forward to meeting you.

For the last couple of years I have set my goals for the upcoming year at about this time (I stole this from Dan Miller). Something I realized last night when I reviewing my goals for this year and making the ones for next is that I am growing. A year ago I was pretty unsure what my passions were and what I wanted to do with myself but I now am more confident about what I have to offer to others and what I can build a business from. With this realization I believe that you need to set yearly goals and write them down. This will help you to define where you want to go in life and help you see that you are growing when you review past goals.

As a side not I also learned that I try to do too many things at once and do not accomplish anything. I need to pick a couple of things at a time and focus on them in order to success.

So set your goals and keep on growing. If you would like a copy of the goals worksheet that I use please visit my website through the following link and go to the resources page.

www.Joshbulloc.com

Josh Bulloc

The Bootstrap Coach

Copyright 2009

Kansas City, Missouri

Dan Miller is on of my favorite ‘gurus’.  He is author of two best selling books, ‘48 Days To The Work You Love’ and ‘No More Mondays’.

Essentially Dan is about helping people find work from their passion.  Not finding a job, but taking what you love to do, and doing it independently of an employer.

Each week Dan creates a 48 minute podcast where he answers questions and discusses ideas with his listeners.

This program is a wealth of information and maybe more importantly inspiration.  There are tons of useful ideas in each program especially for the ‘free agents’ among us looking for the next thing.

We all have interests and skills.  The trick is putting the two together in a way that generates income.

That is Dan’s genious.   He has a real knack for making suggestions that work.  The success stories are endless.

Lately as I converse with more and more people who are in the same employment situation as me, it becomes clear there is a lot of frustration.

These are talented people and most have had jobs with serious responsibility.  It is very difficult for them to be idle for long.

But instead of feeling hurt or angry that you were turned out, you need to change your mindset.  Dan would tell you they handed you an opportunity when they put the severance check in your hand.

I’d like to think there is a great job waiting right around the corner.   Hey, I have tons of experience and a great track record.  But it might not be that easy this time.

This is not the time to be mad at the system, the industry, the government or whatever.  It is the time to re-think what you love to do, and how you might do it in a different way.

Dan’s program has given me about seven or eight ideas.  All I really need is one to work.

The website is www.48days.com.   It’s well worth a look.

As former Met Tug McGraw told us “Ya Gotta Believe!”.

Dan mentioned that there is an inventors group that do not have 2 nickels to rub together. There is a business opportunity there for anyone with sales and marketing skills to create a business where they help the inventors in these types of groups make money on their inventions and it could be set up to where they pay you a commission.

Josh Bulloc

Josh From Grain Valley, MO when I send in answers to the podcast.

www.Joshbulloc.com

www.bullocbusinessblog.wordpress.com

www.joshssimplelife.wordpress.com

http://48days.com/podcast/podcast.php

Dan mentioned that there is an inventors group that do not have 2 nickels to rub together. There is a business opportunity there for anyone with sales and marketing skills to create a business where they help the inventors in these types of groups make money on their inventions and it could be set up to where they pay you a commission.

Josh Bulloc

Josh From Grain Valley, MO when I send in answers to the podcast.

www.Joshbulloc.com

www.bullocbusinessblog.wordpress.com

www.joshssimplelife.wordpress.com

http://48days.com/podcast/podcast.php

PERSONAL PRODUCTIVITY
48 Days to the Work You Love by Dan Miller
Book Yourself Solid by Michael Port
Focal Point by Brian Tracy
How to Get Things Done by David Allen
Wake Up & Sell by Theresa Gale & Mary Anne Wampler

Joe is a 50 yr old man that was just laid off 5 years before early retirement. His skills are in IT but mainly in older technologies.

Joe I fully agree with Dan’s answer about finding your passion. While you are on the path to the work that you love you may be able to consult with companies that still use this technology. A friend of mine was experienced with older technologies that only a handful of companies still used. He was contracted by those companies to work with their systems and he was paid very well for this type of work.

If you pursue this type of work do not assume it will last forever because the older technologies are being replaced. Do not be replaced with the older technology.

http://48days.com/podcast/podcast.php

Josh Bulloc

Josh From Grain Valley, MO when I send in answers to the podcast.

www.Joshbulloc.com

www.bullocbusinessblog.wordpress.com

www.joshssimplelife.wordpress.com

]]> http://48dayshelper.wordpress.com/2009/03/13/48-days-podcast-21909/ Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:04:53 +0000 Josh http://48dayshelper.wordpress.com/2009/03/13/48-days-podcast-21909/

Joe is a 50 yr old man that was just laid off 5 years before early retirement. His skills are in IT but mainly in older technologies.

Joe I fully agree with Dan’s answer about finding your passion. While you are on the path to the work that you love you may be able to consult with companies that still use this technology. A friend of mine was experienced with older technologies that only a handful of companies still used. He was contracted by those companies to work with their systems and he was paid very well for this type of work.

If you pursue this type of work do not assume it will last forever because the older technologies are being replaced. Do not be replaced with the older technology.

http://48days.com/podcast/podcast.php

Josh Bulloc

Josh From Grain Valley, MO when I send in answers to the podcast.

www.Joshbulloc.com

www.bullocbusinessblog.wordpress.com

www.joshssimplelife.wordpress.com

]]> http://joshssimplelife.wordpress.com/2009/03/13/48-days-blog-2509/ Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:03:14 +0000 Josh http://joshssimplelife.wordpress.com/2009/03/13/48-days-blog-2509/

I am not sure where this issue was brought up in the podcast but it was mentioned that someone was having difficulty finding the decision maker when following the 48 Days career finding steps.

If you are looking for a decision maker in a company first call and just ask. If you are polite people are very willing to answer your questions. I was actually able to get an interview through this process when I lived 15 hrs away from the company and they did not even have my resume. Second, get comfortable using Google. I have used it to find the names of decision makers in the many companies. Finally, I used the Chamber of Commerce website in the city, I was interested in working, to find lists of potential companies.

http://48days.com/podcast/podcast.php

Josh Bulloc

Josh From Grain Valley, MO when I send in answers to the podcast.

www.Joshbulloc.com

www.bullocbusinessblog.wordpress.com

www.joshssimplelife.wordpress.com

]]> http://48dayshelper.wordpress.com/2009/03/13/48-days-blog-2509/ Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:03:14 +0000 Josh http://48dayshelper.wordpress.com/2009/03/13/48-days-blog-2509/

I am not sure where this issue was brought up in the podcast but it was mentioned that someone was having difficulty finding the decision maker when following the 48 Days career finding steps.

If you are looking for a decision maker in a company first call and just ask. If you are polite people are very willing to answer your questions. I was actually able to get an interview through this process when I lived 15 hrs away from the company and they did not even have my resume. Second, get comfortable using Google. I have used it to find the names of decision makers in the many companies. Finally, I used the Chamber of Commerce website in the city, I was interested in working, to find lists of potential companies.

http://48days.com/podcast/podcast.php

Josh Bulloc

Josh From Grain Valley, MO when I send in answers to the podcast.

www.Joshbulloc.com

www.bullocbusinessblog.wordpress.com

www.joshssimplelife.wordpress.com

]]> http://joshssimplelife.wordpress.com/2009/02/27/hello-world-2/ Fri, 27 Feb 2009 22:10:13 +0000 Josh http://joshssimplelife.wordpress.com/2009/02/27/hello-world-2/

This blog is to add a little more to Dan Miller’s discussion during his podcasts. I want to add input to some of the questions that are answered so that everyone listening can share in the knowledge and maybe move on to the work that they love.

Please visit Dan’s website to view what he offers. He has changed my life and I hope he can help you too.

http://48days.com/podcast/podcast.php

Just a thought today. I have a life. I have to life to live. I’m going to do–take the Nestea plunge…so to speak. But now is the time. Like I’ve said before-no more being a sissy. I just remembered reading a good book my Dan Miller called 48 Days to the Work You Love…..it takes heart and courage and risk to do what it says, but I believe it can be done. Just something to consider. Keep watching. I’m going for it.

Here are my repsonses to the questions at the back of the chapter.  As you can tell, if I had put this in one post, it would have been very long.

1.      Respond to the statement, “All progress requires change, but not all change is progress.” – ANSWER – In the first part, I believe we all understand that if a certain process has inputs and outputs, without any change to the process, the outputs will always be the exact same.  The second part makes the intuitive argument that just because you change something (with no thought as to the outcome) it does not always equate to something better.  When you combine the two statements, you get a paradoxical, somewhat difficult question to answer.  If you want your output (results and therefore income) to be different, you must change something in what you are doing.  But, without thought as to what and how to change, you are in danger of regressing.  For example, you may decide to quit your job to find true fulfillment in your life (first part), but you have absolutely no plan as to how to replace the income and thereby jeopardize your financial well-being (second part).

2.      What statement describes your career path so far?  ANSWER – Jumbled or unguided.  I have dealt “in the moment” of my immediate needs without a great deal of thought regarding what my talents, dreams and passions were.  I have dreams and desires, but they have always sat in the “upper deck” since I had more pressing matters to tend to.  Every job I have had for the last fifteen years has had major parts of it that I enjoy, just not the job as a whole. 

3.      How has company change affected you?  How did it make you feel?  ANSWER – I have only had the bad misfortune of being “let go” from two jobs.  Both were when I was in high school, so the thought that they would let go of the least skilled people comforts me.  Every other job I have had since then I have lest on my own terms.  However, I personal experience with this through my father-in-law.  He worked for a company for 28 years and then one day was told that either he packs up and moves two states away, or retires.  He choose to retire.  It has been a mighty struggle for him as he tried for years to find a replacement job.  Recently, he and his wife started a ministry.  That, combined with some part time work, has kept them afloat, but it has been challenging.  This affected me, as I feel it has affected many in my generation, in a way that cuts very deep.  We have a tendency to view our careers as mercenaries…we are hired guns.  Gen Xer’s do not operate under the myth that there is any loyalty between the company and an employee.  Everyone is on their own.

4.      Have you experienced failure in your career?  If so, what did it lead to?   ANSWER –   The closest thing I can come to is the two weeks I spent working for a life insurance company.  I chaffed at the ruthless management of my time and effort, plus the cold calling and the hard nosed selling.  They did not encourage product knowledge…only getting bodies in the door so the more experienced agents could close the deal.  IN addition, I spent five years (I cannot believe it was that long)  in the mortgage business.  In that position, I loved working with people and finding solutions to their problems.  Also, I loved a lot of the cold, hard number crunching.  But I despised the origination part of it (finding the clients.)  Unfortunately for me, this is a key aspect of this business.  In fact, if there are two loan officers and one is great at finding deals and the other great with people, the former will outperform the latter, simply because of the power of just dealing with more people. 

Hope you’ve enjoyed your long weekend, I had a good time enjoying a day off having a great brunch, and then mountain biking with some friends.  Relaxing for sure!

Speaking of my friends, it seems like I’ve had quite a few friends recently who were job searching for a variety of reasons.  Some were let go, others are restless and a couple are just recent college graduates.  In talking to them, I often feel for them because of the months of job searching I did before really starting a job.

Eventually, before each conversation ends I always recommend one book that I found very helpful to my career search which is 48 Days to the Work You Love by Dan Miller.   While I was in the hunt, I had a friend recommend it to me and it was so beneficial because he takes you through active steps each chapter to figure out what type of work you want to do, and then steps in how to get there.  While this type of advice can be pretty commonsense, when I was in my “I’m job seeking” mindframe it was tough to step outside of of my circumstances and see the forest for the trees as they say.

Dan’s book really helped me look past the jobs I thought I wanted, and encouraged me find out what I really enjoyed in life, what I was passionate about and then how I could tie that into a job.  This assisted self-analysis allowed me to dive down into the pool of things I was passionate about.  From that dive, I realized I wasn’t necessarily interested in selling widget A, I was far more interested in orchestrating what someone experienced from that widget.  I found out that this (in some form) was called branding, and from that I was able to focus my additional education and learning towards branding. One thing lead to another, God moved in a major way and I’m now in a job I love, enjoying what I do, and I feel very fortunate to lead and work with a great team. (If you want to know more details about my job seeking, I’m happy to share email me – gavin@abunga.com)

This is only one example of what the book did for me and in today’s economy if you are job seeking or want to start doing something you’re passionate about rather than just working the 9-5 I’d suggest reading this book, or just start with his blog.  The key is to take a step. Start today.

What are other books you’ve found helpful?  Help others by sharing what you’ve learned.

-Gavin

This post ended up being so long, I am going to break this into two parts.  The first part is my breakout of the main points.

Main Points –

• At what point do we settle for the life we have chosen or had chosen for us?
• The search for clear meaning should be a continuous one for each of us.
• There used to be an unspoken agreement in jobs regarding securioty…But in the 1980’s, this unspoken contract disintegrated.
• The US Department of Labor statistics state that 50% of the jobs we will have in the next 6 years have not yet been created!
• In addition, the average job now lasts only 3 years
• Firings, lay-offs, downsizing, etc are now common place.
• Is it surprising that moral at work is so low?
• Change is predictable, inevitable, impersonal and relentless.  The question is not will change reach you, but how will you react?
• How do you respond to change?  Are you threatened?  Are your resentful?  Or are you excited about the possibilities for you own advancement and success?
• General Douglas McArthur said “Security is your ability to produce.”
• Your only security is knowing what you do well.
• Knowing your areas of competence will give you freedom amid corporate politics and unexpected lay-offs.
• How many times have you been disabpointed or angry at what seemed like a defeat?  Have you later discovered that the failure saved you from a bigger disaster or directed you toward something better?
• Guard against letting setbacks embitter you.
• How bad does the pain [of the current situation] have to get before you will get up and do something!
• Common Career Questions –

·         Should I find a job and stay with it? – The average job is only 3.2 years in length.

·         Do I have to deal with change? – Change will happen!

·         How can I keep my job from controlling my life?  - First, decide what life you want.  Then, plan your work around that.

·         What if I don’t want another corporate job? – 60% of American homes are housing some sort of business.

·         I dno’t have a collage education…what can I do? – Recognize that people get promotions and opportunities in companies due to personal skills – attitude, enthusiasm, self-discipline and interpersonal skills – 85% of the time. 

·         Should I stop responding to classified ads? – Yes.  Only 12% of the open positions are in the classifieds.

·         My resume has me in a rut and I can’t get out.– Rebuild it.  Highlight your areas of competence.

• Dealing with change –

·         The best way is to be prepared to respond.

·         Look at yourself.  The more you understand yourself, the more you can move forward in boldness and confidence.  Be authentically you and let God use you.

·         Clarify what you want, create a plan of action, and begin to walk toward the goal you want.

·         You need a changeless core – knowing what God has uniquely gifted you to do – with that, you can forge through anything.

If the entrepreneur life intrigues you or if you’ve ever wanted to start your own business but didn’t know how, you’re going to love this…

One of the podcasts I listen to on a fairly regular basis is by 48 Days to the Work You Love and No More Mondays author, Dan Miller. Dan lives right here in Middle Tennessee and has become nationally known for helping people following their passions to find a career they love (Following your passions is one of the major themes of the Life Barometer program).  I had a chance to have lunch with him a few months ago and was very impressed with not only his knowledge but what he has done in his own business.  Today, while I was on my morning run, I listened to his podcast from June 11th entitled, “No Money, No Problem.” It’s all about removing the barriers to starting a business. It’s full of examples and stories of success that can help you with ideas of how to do this on your own. It also has a few interesting facts including:

Breakdown of Millionaires in This Country:

74% – Own their own business
10% – Senior executives (CEO or other high-level executive in large companies)
10% – Doctors, Lawyers, other professionals
5% – Sales people and consultants
Remaining 1% – Stock Brokers, Inventors, Actors, Directors, Authors, Song Writers, Athletes, Lottery Winners

Would you have guessed that? There’s much more great info in this podcast.

Go to the 48Days.com Podcast page HERE. Scroll down the June 11th edition and either download it or listen directly online. If you’re interested in your own business, you’ll be glad you did…

Main Points -

• Is work a necessary evil?  Is it primarily a method of paying bills and showing repsobsilbilty?
• Leo Tolstoy asserted that we must return to the recognition “that work, and not idleness, is the indispensable condition of happiness for every human being.”
• The fruits of a fulfilling life – happiness, confidence, enthusiasm, purpose and money – are mainly by-products of doing something we enjoy, with excellence, rather than things we can seek directly.
• According to Thomas J Stanley in The Millionaire Mind,“if you love, absolutely love, what you are doing, chances are excellent that you will succeed.”
• A job should not define who or what you are…Your calling is a much larger concept than what you do daily to create income.
• Richard Foster says “The work of our hands and of our minds is acted out prayer, a love offering to the living God.”
• St Augustine says “To work is to pray.”
• If we recognize prayer as a time of being present with God, then it follows that our work can ve a form of engaging our hearts and spirits in a way that places us in His presence. 
• Money is never enough (motivation)…there must be a sense of purpose, meaning and accomplishment.
• Each area of our lives requires us to make deposits of success
• Opportunities in today’s work environment are endless.
• Success is not a future event – it is the “progressive realization of worthwhile goals.” 
• With children, we should find how God has uniquely gifted this child and how the parent can help the child excel in that area.
• Misdirected influences in choosing a career include:  (1) What is the most in demand (2) what is the most secure (3) what allows me to achieve position and power (4) what has the greatest income (5) whats advertised in the paper?
• Better questions would be: (1) What was I born to do? (2) What is my greatest contribution to others? (3) What do I love to do? (4) What recurring things keep coming up? (5) how do I want to be remembered?

My Reaction -

Mr. Miller at the end of each chapter lists some thought provoking questions.  I my Reactions area, I am going to give my answers to the questions.

1. Who gave you your first job?  What kind of job was it and how much did you make?    It was about 1988, give or take and I was 15.  I worked for a deli, doing all the cleaning, wiping down counters, etc.  If I remember correctly,  I was paid about $3.15 per hour and worked after school for 3 hours per day.
2. Looking at your work life so far, what has been of the greatest value or worth?   I would have to say my time in the Army.  I learned more basic life skills (following orders, team work, sticking too something) there than anywhere else.  I learned about getting things done.  These skills have been highly transferable along the way.  Finally, basic training  taught me how to gut through something and now I know I can do just about anything I set my mind to.
3. If your job changes, does your purpose change?  It shouldn’t, but in the past it has.
4. Do you think your current job will exist in 5 years?- Yes, based on all that I do.  I could see parts of my job being outsourced, but not all of it.
5. What would be the key characteristic of an ideal job or career?  -  One where I have flexibility in my time, good income and in most areas, I am the decision maker.
6. When you day dream, what do you see yourself doing?- I can see myself involved in a lot of different things.  I like variety.  Routine burns me out.  I would love to be doing something different everyday, especially in something where people are seeking my advise and counsel on matters.
7. What have been the happiest , most fulfilling moments in your life?  – Wow, what a question.  I can come up with a few examples like being ill as a child and getting to stay in my parents bed.  I can still remember the soft glow of the nightlight by the bed, the smell of the clean, warm sheets (and a TV to watch!)  As far as jobs go, I think I would go back again to the time in the Army.  That is one of the only places where I feel that I havetruly EXCELLED at something.  That is a strange statement to make considering my success in others areas.  Another example would have to be the sweet, tender moments with my children, like when they come cuddle up with daddy and there is that wonderful, unspoken bond between us.
8. If nothing changed in your life in the next 5 years, would that be OK?  I guess the answer to that is it would be just “OK.”  I want more, though, than just OK.  I want more in my career, my family, spiritually, etc.  Where I am right now in all those places could easily become a rut.

Here are the key points in this Introduction:

• “For many people, work has become nothing more than a paycheck.”
• “Obliviously, it is pretty difficult to put yourself into you work if you loathe it.  You could perform as others expect and get a paycheck, but you are not likely to experience meaning, purpose, peace, or fulfilment in work you loathe.”
• “If work was a punishment for evil, why does the Bible Continuously tell us to enjoy our work?”
• Ecclesiastes 3:13 – “It is also the gift of God whenever anyone eats, drinks and enjoys all his efforts.”
• “Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men.” - Coll 3:23
• Finding the work you love is about “How has God uniquely gifted you in (1) skills and abilities (2) personality traits, (3) values, dreams and passions?“
• Finding the work you love is not a self-serving goal; it is a required component of finding your true calling.

My Summary -

This area really interests me.  I am very fortunate to currently be working at a place that offers both a good income and something that I mostly enjoy.  However, there is still that “itch that I cannot scratch.”  I have an entrepreneurial bend in me that I never seem to be able to satisfy.  My brain is ALWAYS churning out ideas.  I cannot turn it off.  I will simply be walking down the street and, BAM, there is an idea of possibly a better way to do something.  Now, I recognize that 90% of my thoughts either have been done, or are not practical, but what about that other 10%?

This book intrigues me because it tries to put everything in line.  You have a calling and I do to.  It is our goal to identify that calling and then structure our lives around that.  Money is a poor motivator and I think that you, if you are honest with yourself, would agree.  It is not about money. 

The end of each chapter has questions.  I will try to answer each question on this blog, and maybe, with a comment or two, a real dialog can begin.

Do you dread Mondays?  Do you dread your job?   Is your job making you “Stupid”?     Fire yourself!

All of us can learn to bring the same excitement to our jobs that we bring to whatever we love to do on our days off.  Each one of us can pursue work that is a reflection of our best selvers — a true fullfillment our our callings. 

FREE Tele-Seminar with Dan Miller Tuesday May 20, 2008  7PM Central. 

Click HERE.

Dan Miller will be joining us to speak about Marketplace Ministry.  God has a purpose for each of us and has called each of us to be a minister.  Only 2% of the population minister behind a pulpit.  98%  are ministers in the marketplace. 

Don’t miss this call. To learn more about Dan Miller Click HERE.

See you then.

Lowell Lane

We ran into a neighbor and her thirty year old daughter at our favorite lunch spot yesterday.

The daughter is happily employed but facing a lay-off, possibly as early as Monday.

She is clearly upset.

The lay-off is through no fault of her own. The company likes her and she them.

She feels betrayed like others in her situation.

“I gave this place my heart and soul and wanted to stay forever.” she said.

Now a reality check for all of us who are employees somewhere.

The average job lasts three years today.

‘Forever’ might not be in the cards no matter how much you love the work.

Companies change.

Industries change.

Hopefully you’ll keep changing too.

No one should want to do the same job, in the same place for thirty years.

My parents generation grew up during the high flying 1920s only to see things turn to Depression in the 30s. Next, they found themselves in the horrific World War of the 40s.

It’s no wonder they just wanted a stable job and a house in the suburbs.

The working world is not what it was even five years ago.

Peter Drucker said business is in a state of ‘perpetual white water’.

Things move quickly and unpredictably.

No company can guarantee your employment. It is up to you to guarantee your employability.

As Jean Shepherd used to say “keep your knees loose gang”.

Be a lifetime learner. Focus on networking and be thinking one or two jobs down the road.

What would you do if the company ‘downsized, rightsized or just outsized you tomorrow morning?

Here are excellent books about taking control of your work life.

• Dan Miller “48 Days To The Work You Love”
• Richard Nelson Bolles “What Color Is Your Parachute?”
• Stephen M. Pollan “Fire Your Boss”
• Dan Miller “No More Mondays”

My neighbor must think I’m a little nuts talking about how exciting it can be to lose your job.

But people who stay prepared usually do come out with a better situation.

Keep your knees loose.

Welcome back to the KBJ.  We are so excited to announce our May Tele-Seminars. 

If you have not attended any of our Tele-Seminars I encourage you to get signed up NOW!  We have some dynamic speakers coming up and you will not want to miss them. 

Click HERE  for these FREE Tele-Seminars.  

Be Blessed,

Lowell Lane