Ranking people, assets, opportunities, etc. is one of the most powerful practices that you can implement. Ranking people against one another motivates them to grow, improve, and get progressively at what they do. Ranking naturally motivates people to improve, and companies who fail to do so often find themselves mired in mediocrity. Many people, however, mistakenly avoid rankings and the implied judgment of their abilities. You must use rankings as a means of escaping your protective shell and seeing the truth about yourself and your situation.

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In this article Harrison discusses the importance of thinking big and setting high goals. In order to succeed, you need to visualize where your career is going and keep a fire burning within you. People with a burning desire to achieve their dreams are always successful. It is also important to structure your social lives around people who could assist you in reaching your goals. Understanding who you want to become and studying those above you will help you rise. Hold on to your dreams and stay positive. When it comes to your career, do everything in your power to ensure that you do not give up on your dreams. Continue to focus on what you want to become until you become it.

Avoid complacency, as it can literally destroy your career and your life. You are either moving up or moving down, and complacency will always place you on a downward trajectory. Surround yourself with people who will continually challenge you to become better. Surrounding yourself with mediocre people will introduce mediocrity into your own life; when you surround yourself with people who accept nothing but the best, you are likely to become exceptional as well.

In this article Harrison discusses how resisting change and not taking necessary and relevant action can be the biggest obstacles to a better career and better life. Resistance is something that prevents most people from ever changing. Resisting change can be highly damaging to your growth in your career and life. Instead of allowing your life to be controlled by external circumstances, choose to take action and bring about a change. Conduct a brutal self analysis if needed, to clear the blocks you have in your mind and to bring about change that is necessary. Most people give up. They do not persist. You need strategies and beliefs that will allow you to persist and persevere, so that you can change. The best strategy is to be focused, and this focus will help you overcome the resistance you face whenever you make an effort to begin changing.

In this article, Harrison explains the fact that you need to have immense faith in the person you are, the talents you possess, and the purpose of your life. Absence of faith or believing that you are less fortunate than others will make you depressed, discontented, and extremely unhappy. This state of mind seldom helps in progress and affects both your personal life and career in a large way. Know what you want and where you want to go and be certain on following your heart. Trying to ‘fit in’ usually puts a lot of pressure on a person and it’s best that you avoid trying to be what others want you to be. Look into yourself, concentrate on who you are, cherish what you have, and be what ‘you’ want to be. This is the root to happiness and fulfillment.

Recruiters use a variety of approaches, each of which has its merits; the best recruiters, however, use a combination of established methods. You need to work with a recruiter who understands these various methods, and supports your job search on multiple fronts. Exceptional recruiters are even more valuable in a bad job market, as their approach or combination of approaches will make the difference in whether or not you find employment.