Inevitably there will be times when you have setbacks or things don t go your way. Maybe you didn't get a job you thought you were sure to get. Maybe you lost a job unexpectedly, didn't win a contract, or lost a major client. Your car always seems to break down right after you've had some other unexpected expense. These kinds of situations immediately place us in crisis. They don t feel good, but sometimes they re what we need in order to grow. The beautiful thing about crises is that they force us to take a step back and reevaluate what s going on in our lives and rediscover what we truly want and need. When we get over that initial shock and feeling of disappointment, we might realize that maybe that job wasn't really the best for us anyway. Maybe, just maybe, that wasn't what you really wanted to spend your life doing. Maybe that friend was holding you back instead of pushing you forward. The way I deal with crises of these sorts is simple: If something doesn't go my way professionally, I try to create a situation that would be more rewarding than the situation originally planned. A while ago, I was offered a job that looked very promising. After I accepted the offer, they pushed the start date back three times, later informing me (via e-mail) that they wanted to bring me on in the near future but I should feel free to explore other options. I was extremely disappointed. I felt disrespected and angry, but decided to make the best of the situation and follow my dream of working internationally. I then flew to Santiago, Chile and had great professional and personal experiences I wouldn't have had otherwise. Later, reflecting back on the original opportunity, I realized that working for a company that avoids a start date three times and then can t pick up the phone to explain the situation is probably not where I need to spend my time. Use setbacks as an opportunity to put your goals in order and act on them. In the moment, it s difficult to look at a setback as temporary, but they are. They happen to everybody. It s how you respond to them that will determine how they affect you.
So I finally read Chew On This, by Eric Schlosser and Charles Wilson. This book, although a little wordy, really opened my eyes to many of the things that go on in the fast food industry and how they have greatly affected culture, environment, and society locally and globally. I have become a much more conscious consumer because of the information Schlosser and Wilson provide in these pages. They not only inform us of what goes on behind the scenes at the farms, slaughter houses, and restaurants, but also give examples of companies that have better practices and tell us how we can take steps to change the industry for the better. I definitely recommend this to anyone who eats fast food or wants to learn more about how our food choices are impacting the world.
Several weeks ago, I wrote a 5-day course on how to use social media to differentiate yourself and find a job. It includes innovative ways to use Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc. to reach recruiters as well as an interview with Alex Anderson, associate director for Career Services at Southwestern University. I received several emails, texts, and tweets from people saying the posts were helpful, so I’ve compiled them into one pdf document that’s easy that you can download. You can either download it here or read it online below. Also, I’m realizing that I’m a big fan of Issuu. If you would like to see my other stuff or add me as a friend there, visit my Issuu profile. Feel free to download and pass along to anybody you think it could benefit.
I read an interesting article yesterday about what makes advertisements stick in people’s minds. It said that the secret to making a “sticky” ad is to make the consumer have an emotional impact. This is not a new phenomenon, so I’m confused why this seems so revolutionary. Effective advertising has always been about creating an emotional appeal. There are plenty of ads that focus on things like features, price, etc., but the ones that make us feel something are the ones that move us to buy.
Create an emotional need » Fulfill that emotional need » Sell your product