Many people mistakenly focus their energy on things that they want to avoid, rather than the things they wish to achieve. Your focus ultimately determines where you will go in life and what will happen to you. The best way to move ahead in life, therefore, is to focus on your goals rather than the obstacles to them and the risks along the way. You need to take small, consistent steps toward changing your focus, and understand that it will not change overnight. Once you do change your focus, however, you will be able to chance the direction and momentum of your career for the better.
In silence, you confront your true self; when you are less active, you need more to confront your mind’s inner workings. This is difficult for most people to do, as they frequently are more interested in distracting themselves than confronting silence. There is strength is being able to confront silence, and it is something that you must learn to live with and learn from. Don’t get lost in distractions, or spend your time in activities aren’t contributing to your happiness.
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In this article Harrison talks about the role of communication in getting a job and keeping it. Harrison believes that communicating our value is something we all must do to get jobs and also to keep our jobs. One of the biggest mistakes people make when interviewing for jobs (or in their current jobs) is failing to communicate their value frequently and in detail. The company you work for, or want to work for, cannot possibly know the multitude of ways in which you can contribute. You need to make the people around you aware of who you are and what you can do.
Regardless of your other talents and qualifications, a healthy environment is necessary for your success. Do not associate with people who support a negative outlook when you are discouraged in your job search or think you cannot do something, or you will prove them right and go nowhere. Instead, associate yourself with people who push you to do better and improve. Surround yourself with those who think big and motivate you to be the best that you can be.
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.
When you are a commodity, you can be replaced on a whim and have no value beyond anyone else in the market. Do something that differentiates you from others. When you are unique, you are no longer someone whom employers can easily find on the open market and your value will increase. Establish yourself as irreplaceable due to your unique skills. Understand your employers’ needs and desired direction in order to create value for them.
In this article, Harrison explains the importance of understanding the fact that you are not entitled to anything. One of the greatest blunders that people make is to believe that they are owed something and also that someone else is to be blamed for what happens to them. These beliefs are traps and allow others to take control of their lives. Harrison states that you need to hold the reigns of your own life, do what you want with it, make the most of what you are capable of and take responsibility of everything you do. The scepter should never, under any circumstance, be given to anyone else. Your achievements, life, and income should be the result of what you achieve and not others. The people who are the happiest, the most successful, and in control of their futures realize they are not entitled to anything.
In this article Harrison discusses that your ability to create productive work can bring you success in your career. The opportunity to work is an important part of your existence. Work is a path to mental and economic stability; it brings happiness and purpose in our lives. When you create work you always have something to do and you are always adding value. Truly stellar performers have the ability to consistently create work that the company values. You need to create work in your job; at the same time you need to stay away from people who are critical of the act of work. Work is healthy for you. Your identity and life, for the most part, revolve around work. Harrison firmly believes that cherishing your work and creating more work will change your career and life for better.
You can easily make your vision of yourself more real when you start to do the things the person you want to be would do. Your life is defined by your beliefs and convictions about who you are. You can always change your behavior, but never your perception of who you are. The first step to making a meaningful change is to become aware of your unconscious beliefs about who you are and change them. You need to be able to believe and think positively about yourself and your capabilities and not be held back by negativity. Negative beliefs about yourself will harm you.
In this article Harrison explains the economic rule which says - your rewards will be in direct proportion to the value you provide. In your career if you are not providing enough value, the rule will catch up with you sooner or later. In contrast, if you are providing more value than you receive you will probably have a very good career. Companies that provide more value than they receive for their products generally end up flourishing. Companies that provide very little value generally end up going out of business. The law of economics that is always operating in the background is that you always need to give more than you take and be prepared to give.
In this article Harrison explains how you can ensure success in your career by externalizing your opponents. Your job is like a game; if you work hard, play by the rules of the company and are seen as part of the team you will be viewed as a valuable player for the company. The most significant part of any game is the presence of an opponent. Don’t look for an opponent among your co-workers. Never speak negatively of your team members. Instead, concentrate on the external opponents. External opponents bring you and the team closer as you work towards a common goal. In order for you and your company to succeed it is important to have an external opponent. Harrison advises people to consistently work hard and not participate in the politics. This is a sure way to score big in your career.
True self-esteem comes from within, not from the acceptance of others. When your sense of worth comes from within, you free yourself from comparisons with others and will enjoy a greater sense of internal security. You will no longer be bogged down by the experiences of others and can become much more self-reliant.
Your greatest successes will come from some of the smallest actions in terms of meeting people. You will cause a “stacking effect” the more you meet and connect with people; conversely, people cannot connect with you when you are withdrawn and nothing will happen. You must do everything in your power to connect with as many people as possible.
A powerful sense of self will make all the difference in your life. You must understand that your sense of yourself and your capabilities come from inside of you, not from the external forces that have brought you to your current place in life. What you feel internally might be completely different from what the world is telling you, and you must learn to focus on the former rather than the latter.
Adopting a positive attitude will always bring you closer to success, as nobody wants to be associated with a losing side. Everyone wants to associate with and hire winners, and avoids losers. Nothing is more important than maintaining a positive attitude, as many employers hire people based primarily on attitude; with the right attitude, everything else will fall into place. You must look like you are on the winning team, even if times are tough; nobody wants to hire a loser.
Everyone tries to maintain a certain emotional state, and learning to control your own emotions will have a profound impact on your career. While everyone allows their emotional states to be influenced by outside events, there is no advantage in basing your own emotions on things that you cannot control. Allow yourself to discover happiness and fulfillment naturally, rather than making your emotions dependant on external circumstances. Your outlook will have a tremendous impact on your psychological health, as well as that of those around you.
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