The Career You’ll Love

I previously wrote about the process of becoming grounded and mentioned that you probably have hundreds of resources at your disposal. Let’s explore that a bit further.

Read more on my WorkBloom blog>>

I can think of a million ways to “fix” other people around me. They’re just all so messed up, aren’t they?

Here’s the brutal truth: That’s not the way the universe works. You don’t get to “fix” them.

Read more of my post at WorkBloom.com>>

Check out my latest blog post on Workbloom.net entitled Who are you, anyway? – Tips on How to Build a Fulfilling Career.  I talk about the importance of getting grounded in who you are.

I’ve started posting over there as a way to increase the reach of the value I can bring to people who are struggling with career issues.

It’s an interesting balancing act that many come to in their careers:  In some ways you feel very constrained, while simultaneously enjoying a multitude of options.  It feels weird.

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Peter Bregman, in the Harvard Business Review, wrote an interesting article this week about what motivates people to help.  If you haven’t seen it yet, follow that link and have a look.  Peter raises an interesting question about why people are motivated to give to others, to help.

In general, people like to be helpful.  I suppose part of it is an expectation of getting something in return, but that’s not the core.

The fact is, you get a rush just from knowing you’ve done good.  It actually physically feels good to you, and in many cases that may be enough reward in itself.

Of course, we get rather cynical about all this.  Many charitable organizations prey on our need to be loved and to feel like we’re making a difference.  After a while we get the sense that maybe we’re not actually making the difference that we’d hoped, and that some of the unscrupulous types might be taking advantage of us.

That’s why Peter’s example is so powerful.  It’s about making a difference to someone here and now, in a way that makes a difference that you can actually see.

Here’s what we learn about giving:

• Let people see the difference they’re making, in as immediate a way as possible, and in the way that person values.
• Entering payment into the equation introduces a whole different dynamic – it becomes about the money rather than about the value delivered.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help.  People like helping.

As I said before, the act of giving has great value.  Remember that in your own life, and those of people who you work with.

I heard a great presentation by Edward Hernandez in Denver last week which was quite interesting.  He was talking about one of my hot topics at the moment, employee engagement.  I thought I’d share with you an additional observation which I believe is much more important than it first seems:

As the economy rebounds, companies will be reluctant to hire full-time employees.  Fairly obvious, right?  But this has broad implications.

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This has been an eventful week for me and my business – a key turning point.  This is the week I moved from planning to doing.

It’s scary, but it’s so wonderful to be doing what feels to be such useful activity.

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Sometimes it seems like I’m hard-wired to look for risks, for dangers.  Perhaps I am.  So here’s a powerful question that I use to help break me out of that mindset:

What’s the best that could happen?

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Nobody likes a braggart.  But there are times where you need to promote yourself – to your boss, to potential customers, to future employers.  How do you promote yourself in a way which doesn’t come across as shameless and inauthentic?

Here’s the trick:  You promote in a way which is well-founded, or where promotion isn’t the primary message.

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How many times do you know what the right thing is to do, but lack the courage to act upon it?  Humans are wonderful at rationalizing, at finding creative excuses to avoid doing what’s hard.  Myself included, of course.

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