“What you have to give is enough – if you give it with all your heart.”~ Chieko N. Okazaki
The quote above was shared with me by one of my mentors and I wanted to share it with you. Enjoy it.
Every week, sometimes hundreds of times a week, I hear the questions Should I … or Do I need to … followed by: post my resume online, go back to school, retire, take less money, do a different job, change industries, change careers, quit my job, fire my boss, network with others, network online, and the list could go on and on. Are you asking these questions?
What do you think my most common reply would be if you asked me one of these questions? My reply would likely be to ask you the question – “What’s important to you?”
Yes, I know by the look on your face, you might be annoyed by my responding to your question with a question. However usually that is the best place to start if you are asking yourself or someone else these types of questions about your job search or career transition.
First of all, may I remind you that unless, you lost your last job due to misconduct, or lack of your willingness to correct your work performance to meet your employer’s employment requirements, or your lack of willingness or ability to acquire a specific skill or skills your employer required, you were successful in your prior job. Your experience, skills, knowledge and abilities are probably solid enough for you to be highly marketable and successful again in today’s job market.
Therefore, if you will spend a little time to reflect on your skills, experience and what is important to you before you jump in to a full blown marketing campaign and job search you will know what is important to you and you will be better prepared to accelerate your success. If you test the market and determine that you do need help or are missing a skill to do what is important to you, you will be prepared to take the best action.
Be careful about using unanswered questions or other conditions as your excuse for inaction. Are you using the economy, or not defining what’s important to you as an excuse not to move your job search forward? You must get out into the job market in a BIG WAY!
Excuses, whatever they are can be a deep dark pit! A costly pit and a pit filled with fear. A job search can be scary. You may feel hesitant as you first start to market yourself. You may fear rejection, and you may fear making mistakes. I get that – and by the way, you will be rejected and you will make mistakes!
Job searching has a learn-as-you-go component to it, the market place changes, things change, business needs change, and you change over time. Get busy, get over having to learn everything before you start your job search, and marketing yourself for your next job.
Be willing to learn-as-you-go, to change what you are doing, or to stop doing the things that are not working for you. Market YOU. Get out there with who you are, what you have to offer, what makes you unique and different in the marketplace.
Stop using “Should I” or “Do I need to” questions as excuses. Clarify what is important to you, stop making excuses, and communicate your value to the marketplace.
Excuses stop you dead in your tracks. Stop making excuses. Know what is important to you; communicate what you can do and how you are different. You do have enough to give.
Will you give it with all your heart?
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