DO SOMETHING GOOD EVERYDAY

10:57 PM Add Comment


Not only Ben Parker, the fictional character from Spiderman from the pen of Stan Lee, quoted that great responsibility came with great power, but quotes of similar origins can be found all the way back in history – from the twentieth century up to the Ancient Greeks. It was Lord Acton, who wrote that “power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” and the philosopher Socrates “rule of worthy of might,” that expressed similar ideas.

In general I would say that the more successful you are in life, the greater becomes your power and influence, but also the more complex and multilayered your responsibility will become. Another saying says, that “with success comes responsibility” and no matter if people try to avoid, refuse to believe or simply ignore this liability – it still exists and will not burden from our shoulders. 

You might have noticed that I’m speaking of a “complex and multilayered responsibility,” simply because I believe that this kind of responsibility changes from case to case. There is no definition that fits for everyone, as we are all unique and so are the ways to cope with this kind of responsibility. A gun owner – for instance – has great power over people that aren’t wearing a gun, so it is his responsibility not to abuse this kind of power. The driver of a fancy sports car must know that when doing a street race with another car, that he does not only put himself at risk, but also every other road user and pedestrian.

As I’ve already said, it is not that easy to specify this kind of responsibility, as the multilayered liability includes for some to know what kind of (negative) consequences their actions could have – and to be accountable for these, whereas others also consider their (social) responsibility towards others and their society as a part of it as well. As you can see, there is no accurate definition that suits this complex and multilayered responsibility that comes with great success and power, but I’d like to point out some tips on how everyone can individually meet this responsibility, one way or the other, if you are already successful in life and possess this kind of “great power,” no matter if it is a weapon, a sports car, wealth or an executive position in a company.

Avarice and greed

The fatal effects of greediness are not only commonly known to us since some hundred managers, equipped with pure selfishness, a huge portion of cool-bloodedness and the never ending desire for ever more and more money, caused the global financial crisis. Greed and the avarice for money are the ulterior motives behind so many (terrible) actions that people did to each other and what makes it even worse is that greediness seems to blank out even the slightest concern of the possible consequences of this behavior and if others might suffer from it. I guess, that every one of us experienced one or the other form of greed at times in one’s life, may it be during one’s childhood, youth or in adult life.

What is important is to recognize that there is already enough for everyone on this planet. Money has only become a precious commodity, because a view individuals started to literally hoard and stockpile money on a large score on their bank accounts – and I’m not speaking of “just” a view million $. So, be aware of your immense responsibility that revolves around the often so typical greediness or stubbornness of us humans. You will always have the choice to earn a little bit more money on the expenses of others. Important is that you are aware of these consequences that others might suffer from a greedy misbehavior and that you ask yourself how it would be, if you would have to suffer from it, too!

Exploitation & taking advantage of others

Have you ever seen the movie “Coming to America,” where Eddie Murphy plays Akeem – the heir to the throne of a fictitious African country? Even though it was a just fictitious comedy movie, many aspects of it were quite true – such as the fact that many leaders or kings of African countries have obtained massive riches – more or less by exploitation of the natural resources and their country in general. Just think about the former dictator in Tunisia – Ben Ali – and his clan and how ruthlessly they pillaged their fellow countryman. And that is only one example for a phenomenon that can be seen around the world – a small group of people that lived in their palaces full of riches they accumulated by taking advantage of others, while the rest of the country was predominantly living in poverty.

What I’m trying to say is, what’s the point in being a billionaire, accumulating tangibles and possessing 1.5 tons of pure gold (Ben Ali clan), when you know that everyone around you is living in poverty, because of your malicious behavior? Wouldn’t all these billions have provided everyone in that country enough food and a safe place to live for decades.

Be aware of the huge responsibility that lies on your shoulder once you have accumulated riches. It’s quite easy to lose the grasp of reality, once you are getting used to live in an isolated village with neighbors that are living in the same luxury as you do.

Giving something back

I know entrepreneurs that have founded successful and respectable companies, but instead of giving something back (to their employees, society, etc.) they focused their whole concentration on stabilizing their leader position in the company and its profit.

But I also do know of entrepreneurs and organizations that are “giving something back” as good as they can and as far as the limits permitted it to do. Some integrated people that have handicaps or were unemployed for a long time and couldn’t find another employee, even if that meant that the owner of the company would have to waive on some of his profit. I’m sure that the owners were warned by their assistance as “giving back” would have deteriorated the balances and so on (…) , but for these owners, it didn’t really matter if the integration of a handicapped person was rentable or not, as it was by far more valuable for them to help someone to make his life at least a little bit easier.

Doing something good

The most commonly known companies have public relations departments and one job of the employees of these departments is to “do something good and talk about it.” I find this great, as these are companies that are giving at least something back by helping others or charities, even though the reasons and ulterior motives are more likely related to the improvement and development of a positive company image. Nonetheless, these organizations and enterprises are still helping people and give something of their fortune and wealth back, so I won’t criticizes them for that.

When you try to do something good, do it without any ulterior motives and without the expectation to get something back. That’s the real way to of “doing good things.”

They don’t remember your wealth, but your actions

It is not the immense wealth, assets or tangibles that people will remember of a person that has departed. People are reminded for their actions, not the amount of money they earned and the luxury goods they accumulated during their lives. People won’t remember your wealth, but the way you invested this money, either for yourself and your family, or whether you invested it to make this world a better place to stay.

 

Yes, you can help!

Everyone can help somehow and in some way, at every place and during every time. Some might be too busy, so they donate a small amount of their salary; others donate their time and manpower and work voluntarily for a charitable organization. Even though you might just be able to donate $5 or only one hour for voluntary work, it is better than nothing and your effort will be highly appreciated – I’m sure of that!

You might say, “I don’t have any money I can donate,” or “I don’t have much time to spend,” but the ways you can give something back are so multifold and different for every individual. Some have chosen to share their knowledge, either by becoming a mentor for someone or in many other ways that reach out to hundreds of individuals, for instance by writing a book. Don´t lock your precious experiences only into your own brain! You can always help and motivate others with your experiences you have gathered. Allow others to achieve success as well as you did.

HOW TO BUILD A PERSONAL CAREER PLAN AND PLOT A COURSE OUT OF YOUR DEAD-END JOB

10:15 PM Add Comment



We've all heard it before: "You're lucky to have any job." But just because you have one doesn't mean you have to just suck it up if it sucks, or it's not the career you want. The problem may be that you're looking at your position as "just a job" and you have no idea what kind of career you want. It doesn't have to be this way.
I know a lot of people who hate their jobs, but when asked what they'd rather do, they're already very close to doing what they're passionate about—they just needed to stop and figure out how to get there. Here's how you can take a good, hard look at yourself, figure out what you really want to do, and work this into a personal career plan that will help you get where you want to go, personally and professionally.

Take Stock: Evaluate Yourself
Write Down What You Do: The first thing to do if you're going to pull yourself out of a career-related funk is to take stock of where you are professionally. Your job title and resume only say so much about what you do, so spend a few days taking good notes of what you actually do. Start with the core responsibilities of your position (things you would put on your resume), then write down everything else you spend time doing at work, even if it's tangential to your actual "job." 

A good way to get in the habit of doing this is to keep a work diary of your successes, failures, and activities. It's also a good opportunity to get in the habit of doing a GTD-style weekly review, where you take time each week to take stock of what you've accomplished and prepare for the next week. When you're done, sort the list into things you absolutely hate doing, things you don't mind doing and things that you love and wish you could do more of.

Write Down What You Want To Do: Once the list is sorted, it's time to focus on the things you'd like to do more of. Build on those items and write down what you wish you could do every day. Don't be afraid to get far-fetched; if you wish you could get paid to read blogs all day, jot that down. Some people call it "wasting time on Reddit," but the right employer may call it research.
Now, start thinking long-term. Ask yourself, "Will I want to keep doing these things in a year? What about two, or five?" Don't be discouraged if you're not sure. It's impossible to know what the future you will want, but try to write down some general thoughts. Ask yourself these questions:
  • What am I best at doing, both personally and professionally? What am I terrible at?
  • Do I want to stay in this job? Or this field?
  • If I want to change jobs, do I want to be promoted into a similar, more senior role?
  • If I want to change jobs, would I rather manage people, or would I prefer to continue doing it all myself?
  • If I want to change industries, which field am I interested in?
  • What is it about that industry that excites me? Has it always interested me?
  • What am I doing already that will serve me well in that field?
  • What type of company would I like to work for? What about that company is most important to me?
  • Would I prefer to work for myself, or become a freelancer, knowing that working for yourself isn't always rainbows and unicorns?
  • Looking at the list of things I love doing, what kind of job uses those skills? Who does those things every day?
Review Your Answers: The point of these questions is to help you evaluate your goals. They help you determine what types of jobs involve the tasks you said you enjoy doing. Pretend you land the perfect job. Now think about where you'd like to go from there. Would you like to keep doing it on a more advanced level? Perhaps you'd like to manage people who do what you do now? When you start thinking about those next steps—without the stress of the whole "where do you see yourself in one/five/ten years" kind of questions (which are largely useless anyway)—you'll find yourself thinking in terms of the career you want, not just your "dream job."

Once you've finished writing all of this down, you should have a pretty good self-evaluation. This is valuable in itself, and can help you ground yourself in your current job or negotiate with your boss on those tasks that you really hate and how you can do more of what you enjoy (and are strongly suited to.) Now you're ready for the next step: actually building your plan.
Take Notes: Build Your Career Plan
Research the Jobs You'd Like To Do: Now that you know what you'd like to do, it's time to find jobs that let you do it. Here's how:
  • Visit Your Local Library or Career Center: Sometimes the best way to find a job that matches up with your skills and desires is to ask a more experienced person. A chat with a reference librarian or specialist at a career center will put you on the right track towards career guides and resources that can help you translate your dreams into a job title you can aim for.
  • Chat with Your HR Rep: If your company has an HR rep, they're the person you should go to if you want to learn more about what careers are available in your company. Obviously your company's HR rep has a vested interest in making sure you're successful in your current job (we hope!) and that you stay at your current company, so if you like your company and just dislike your job, they may be able to help.
  • Scour Job Search Sites: Most people are used to searching job sites for job titles. Try searching for a function or task that you enjoy instead. If you like spending all day on Twitter or Facebook, search for "Twitter" or "Facebook," or better yet, search for "social networks" or "social media." Most job search engines will match your keywords with job responsibilities as well as required skills in job listings.
  • Take a Career Assessment Test: The CareerPath test (from the folks behind CareerBuilder) is a good one that blends elements of a personality test with a career assessment test. The results will help you understand what kinds of jobs and careers make heavy use of the passions and skills you have. You can find more tests at About.com.
  • Talk To People About Their Careers: Sometimes word of mouth is the best way to find out how to translate your passions into a job you'll love, as we've previously discussed. Ask your friends and family, even your colleagues about their previous jobs. Highlight the things that you enjoy and ask them if they've ever heard of a job that does those things. You'll be surprised: often the side-responsibilities you like at your current job are primary responsibilities at another job.
For example, one of my best friends is saddled with sending dull, dry sales emails for the company she works for. It's a long and difficult process, and she says she would like it more if she had better tools to do it. However, she really loves seeing the number of people who open those emails, who gets which flavor of message based on their purchase history, and what they click on when they open them. To her, it's just the crap her boss doesn't feel like doing, so she gets to do it. At my old company it's called Campaign Analysis, and there are tools that would make her life easier (not to mention a paycheck she'd probably like as well.) When I explained this to her, she was surprised. Because she had a clear picture of the things she liked and disliked about her job, it was easy to point out that there are jobs out there that could give her an opportunity to do what she enjoys every day.

Research Where Those Jobs Lead: Once you have an idea what types of jobs you'd like to have (even if it means you've rediscovered how much you enjoy your current job), start thinking in terms of a long-term career. Do some research on where those jobs usually lead. A good place to start is the Occupational Outlook Handbook from World Wide, and the My Skills, My Future career search site.

If you're interested in systems administration, think about what your life would be like after you get the job. After a few years, would you like to manage other administrators, or would you be happier taking on increasingly technical and challenging projects? In most technical roles, it's one or the other. Which would you prefer if you do land that job, and what happens to other people who get it? 

You'll also want to find out whether the career you want requires education, degrees, or certifications to advance. Some organizations will only promote if you show you're advancing your skills as well as performing well on the job, and others will only consider you for promotions if you go out and get a relevant degree, or take classes relevant to your job. Continuing education isn't a bad thing, but you don't want to reach for a career you want only to find that you're stuck after taking the first step.

For example, when I was a Project Manager, eventually I learned that a promotion wouldn't be forthcoming until I earned my Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. When I started looking at other companies, I learned that having one makes you more marketable. So I went out and got it to move my career to the next level—I had the time to study and the money to put into the test. Not everyone has that, but I certainly wish I had known it would be necessary before I started out as a PM.

By the time you finish this research, you should have an idea of where the careers you're interested in will take you, and whether you like those possible paths or not. Of course, you can't predict everything: you may discover a love of management when you think you're going to be an engineer forever, or invent a new application while doing software development that leads you to start a new company. The important thing is to think past the job offer you'll hopefully get, be flexible, and start visualizing the career you'd like to have.

Take Action: Make Your Move
By now, you should have your self-evaluation finished, and a few ideal career paths all mapped out. Congratulations: you have a personalized career plan, based on your interests and your skills. Now all that's left is the hard part: deciding which direction you'd like to take. Your career plan shouldn't be a dead document. Keep researching jobs that match up with your goals, and keep talking to people about what opportunities they have in their organizations for people who do what you'd rather do all day. 

Once you decide on a direction, you'll have to determine whether or not the first step is something that requires education, a completely new job, or something you can start with your current gig. You may be getting valuable experience now that can lead you to the career you love, given time. Alternatively, it may be time to jump ship and work to the career you want to have, even if it feels like you have no relevant experience.

Regardless of what you choose to do, even if it's nothing for now, there's tremendous value in taking stock of your strengths and weaknesses and where you are professionally. You can use that information to make your current job more bearable just as easily as you can use it to find a new direction. Spending a little time making a map of how you want your career to evolve can save you weeks or even years of toiling away in a job or career that brings you no joy.

Are you happy with your career path or are you ready for a change? How are you planning for that change, or if you've made the leap, how did you do it? Share your experiences in the comments.

FOLLOW YOUR TRUE DESIRES

11:47 PM Add Comment


 Following your true desires is different from following your vain desires. We must avoid vain desires at all costs, and pursue only our true desires. That way, we harness the power of who we naturally are deep inside, and allow it to grow and manifest on the outside. Below, you will find some key lessons to help you understand the importance  of this topic, whilst you still have time to achieve your mental dreams and ambitions:

1. It is way easier to follow your true desires than your vain desires
Vain desires feel good at first, but then later on you will realise that you wasted time, effort and money. True desires are real and worth striving for, because it is here where your dreams, ambitions and true goals lie.

2. We must eliminate all vain desires in our life
When we can effectively eliminate, we can create the reality we want. Every vain desire means that you have not specialised enough to remove it. The desire leaches away at your energy and lifeblood, making the energy towards your true goals become weak. We must therefore identify and eliminate them in a step-by-step fashion.

3. Following your true desires is addictive and allows you to specialise
When you specialise in a particular thing, you become a genius who knows everything about the specialty inside out.

People will look at your life and wonder what it is that you are doing different. The answer is that you chose to specialise into your dreams, and only allow those aspects which you truly enjoyed and wanted to experience more of, to come to you.

4. Following your true desires allows you to invoke proper fear
Without fear, there is no movement forward. Fear allows us to realise the loss we could make if you don't push forwards. By fear, i do not mean cerebral fear or fear in the genuine sense (as focusing on this would create more fear and a worse situation), but more in the sense of the emotional feeling of fear which acts as a stimulus to move us forward. This is the most powerful stimulator, as we always wish to move away from fear, and towards our goal. The fear is that our dreams and life is on the line. There is no room to slack as our dreams are at stake of being lost forever. We therefore must take charge and achieve them whilst you still have time. The fear is that your dream and your life is at stake.

What To Expect
When you follow your true desires, you will be able to receive the information that will allow you to achieve distinction in it. There is no use being half one person and half another. We must follow and polarise into our true desires if we are to become and achieve the goals you have set for yourself. So for example, if you wish to be an inventor, you must live your dream and invent. If you wish to be an entrepreneur, you must dedicate your whole effort in mind, body and soul to your business efforts.

When you do not live your passion, you do not live the life you want. Nobody has the right to say you cannot be this or that person. You can achieve anything when you make the first steps.