Saturday, May 30, 2009

Your Career Change Should Rely on Your Dreams - By David Couper

Today's guest article is from David Couper. David is a subject matter expert in the field of Career Change. I choose to share this article with you because of David's unique approach to dream fulfillment as it relates to your regular employment. When you go to your job every day are you also working towards your dreams? If not, why not? This is great food for thought as we do anything in our daily lives. We are either reaching for our dreams or we must question why we are doing what we are doing. Every minute. Life is too short and our time is too precious to get derailed from our goals and dreams.

Your Career Change Should Rely on Your Dreams
- By David Couper

Do you have dreams? Of course you do because you are human. But are you living those dreams? Are you making them happen? If you have answered no to the last two questions, it is time that you start living your dreams because you only live once. You get one chance to make things happen for yourself.

One way you are really going to make things work for you is through a career transition. This is because our careers more or less dominate our lives, and how we feel about our career can impact how we feel about the rest of our life. If you take your dreams and base your career off of that, then changing careers won't be so difficult. As a matter of fact, it will be more exciting than stressful.

Here is some career change advice that you can use when achieving your dreams:

* Don't just settle for any career just because it pays good money. You need something that will make you happy. The monetary factor is not always what someone needs to be happy. So don't step out on your dreams over money. Many individuals will tell you that satisfaction outweighs monetary rewards in many cases.

* Always evaluate every aspect of a new career and ask a lot of questions. This is necessary to make sure you will be doing something that you will find purpose in. If you feel like the tasks you do each day are empty, you are going to feel empty.

* One of the best ways to really make your dreams come true in a career transition is to pump up your confidence and know you can make it happen on your own. This means entering a field you have always wanted to get into by starting your own business. If you are passionate about it, you will make it happen. Just don't quit your current job today and then wonder how you're going to pay the bills tomorrow.

* Take your time. Make sure you don't get in a hurry when making your transition because that is where mistakes are made. In a few months, you may find out that things weren't exactly what you hoped they would be.

If you're not really sure what your dreams are for your career, do some career testing. This is something you can do through your local workforce development office, or you can find tests online. These tests will tell you what sectors you are suitable for based on your current skills and things you like to do.

It is very important that you do a job you like so you can feel like you accomplished something at the end of the day. And the ideal career also keeps you from mixing your work with the rest of your life when you should be focusing on other things. In other words, you are able to achieve that work-life balance that is very important to your very existence and that of your family.

About the Author:

David Couper is a career coach and writer who for the last 20 years has worked in Europe, Asia, and the USA with major organizations, including the BBC, Fuji Television, Mattel, Sony, and Warner Bros.

He has successfully coached individuals at all levels, including CEOs of major companies wanting a new challenge, frustrated souls wanting to make their dream come true, and front-line employees laid off and desperate to get a job.

David has a degree in communication, a postgraduate qualification in education, is certified in a number of training technologies, and has a master's in spiritual psychology. He has published seven books.

Visit David Couper on the web at http://www.davidcoupercoach.com

Monday, May 25, 2009

"I won't be afraid..."

"... as long as you stand by me."

Words are insufficient to describe this amazing performance.





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Friday, May 22, 2009

Are you a carrot, an egg or coffee?

A fable...

A young woman went to her mother and to tell her how things were so hard and that she did not know how she was going to make it and that she wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as soon as one problem was solved, a new, bigger one came along.

Her wise mother (and they are all very wise) took her daughter into the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a stove top burner set to high. When the pots came to a boil, Mom started to add ingredients. In the first pot she placed carrots, in the second she put eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes Mom turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter,she asked, “Tell me what you see.”

“Carrots, eggs and coffee,” the daughter replied a little impatiently.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she could see the egg was hard boiled.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee.

The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked,“What does it mean, mother?”

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water.

Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.

The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.

The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

“Which are you?” Mom asked her daughter. “When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?”


Ask yourself: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? My shell may look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavour. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level?

How do you handle adversity?

Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Friday, May 15, 2009

Being aware of your environment

It always pays dividends when you are aware of the people and things around you. For example...

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson went on a camping trip. After a good meal and a bottle of wine, they were exhausted and went to sleep. Some hours later, Holmes awoke and nudged his faithful friend.

"Watson, look up at the sky and tell me what you see."

Watson replied, "I see millions and millions of stars."

"What does that tell you?" Holmes said

Watson pondered for a minute.

"Astronomically, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets. Astrologically, I observe that Saturn is in Leo. Timewise, I deduce that the time is approximately a quarter past three. Theologically, I can see that the Lord is all powerful and that we are small and insignificant. Meteorologically, I suspect that we will have, a beautiful day tomorrow. What does it tell you?"

Holmes was silent for a minute, then spoke.

"Watson, you idiot, Someone has stolen our tent!"