Archives for August 2016

Are You Meeting the “3 M’s” Test to Show You’re the Best?

August 25, 2016 by Mike McRitchie Leave a Comment

Imagine you’ve read through 200 resumes (okay you really only scanned the front pages). Your eyeballs are about to turn back in your head. You think, “If I read another boring, bland resume, I’m gonna scream!”

So you pick up #201.

And what happens?

Now lets turn the tables. Your resume is #201. What happens now?

Too often we are so focused on our own resume we don’t think about it in terms of the person or people who will be reading it and making a decision that could have a huge impact on our future career and life. What will result from getting this job? Or not getting it? Different pictures, right?

So I want you to step back a little and think about your resume in terms of the reader. The hiring manager or recruiter who is going to have to “buy” you and what you have to offer.

Are you an easy purchase? Or are they going to have buyers’ regret?

How can you push your resume into the “call” pile?

Did you catch their attention?

This is where marketing comes in. Positioning. Differentiation. Competitive Advantage. Unique Selling Proposition.

Basically, what sets you apart from all those other resumes?

And that where your “Accomplishments” come in.

You wouldn’t believe how many resumes I come across that are just a recitation of job duties. Yes, its important that you can do the job. But if you have accomplishments that are related to the job I’m hiring for, I figure you can handle the details. If I see a list of job duties, I wonder if you can actually do those well.

Why keep the focus on job duties and keep the hiring manager wondering if you know what you’re doing?

Knock their socks off by showing them you’re the cream of the crop, not the cream of the crap.

How do you do it?

Show off your “M’s”

Now maybe I’m partial to “M’s” given my first and last name start with an “M”. And yes, my favorite candy is “M&M’s”.

But you really do need to show your “M’s”.

So what are the “M’s”?

Measurable = Numbers, Percentages, Dollars, Savings, Earnings, Sales

Meaningful = Big Enough to Matter

Memorable = Unexpected or Unique or something that has the “Ahh-Factor”

Now let’s look at each of them.

Measurable

This is the first requirement. It is one that many authorities reference. But there are some subtleties too.

This is the part where you quantify what you’ve accomplished.

So first you have to figure out something you accomplished. It is really important to review your accomplishments and document them at least annually and ideally quarterly.

Why do it that often? Because your mind will forget otherwise. And you’ll find yourself trying to put together your resume and not having those details.

And details are important too. Here’s some examples.

“Increased sales.” That sounds like a good thing. But couldn’t anyone say that? How do I know? Sounds like they just pulled it out of their butt.

How about this one?

“Increased Sales $50,000” That’s a little better. Have a number now. Still, is that good or meaningful? I just don’t know.

“Increased Sales $49,643” An odd number. What’s that about? Using an odd number implies accuracy. You think, why would they have put that number instead of $50,000? You can doubt $50,000. But hard to doubt $49643.

Let’s take it a little further.

“Increased sales by $49,643 in 60 days by uncovering and converting a previously unrecognized opportunity that the company hadn’t noticed”

In that statement I see a real, quantified accomplishment ($49,643). It was achieved quickly (60 days – speed matters as time is money). I’m intrigued by the accomplishment (uncovering and converting a previously unrecognized opportunity – that is going to get the person to want to find out what you did – and call you for an inteview).

Now wasn’t that much better than “Increased Sales”?

So make sure you’re really quantifying things.

Meaningful

In the last example we looked at growing sales $49,643. Was that meaningful?

Well that depends.

On what?

Well, we need a basis of comparison.

If this was a one-man operation making $50,000 per year prior to that, then almost doubling sales is meaningful.

But if it was a multi-billion dollar company, that wouldn’t even move the needle.

You see that with experience. It used to be companies would advertise that they have over 500 years of experience. And if that was one person that would really be a sight. But if it is 100 people with 5 years experience each, that doesn’t mean much.

So you can see, number manipulation to create an effective comparison is important. Yes, it can go too far. And you will lose credibility there. But you can choose the appropriate comparison to make your accomplishments reflect the meaningfulness that they deserve.

Memorable

This is the quality most left out of a good accomplishment bullet point.

This is often what can make or break your resume. Memorable accomplishments just connect with a hiring manager. A generic one often passes by, and takes the resume with it. No call to schedule an interview. Your resume is dropped into the trash can, never to be seen again.

What is a memorable one?

Did you work with or for a high profile, brand name client (like Google, Facebook, IBM, etc.)?

Did you contribute to a memorable event?

Were you the first to do something?

Are you a thought leader?

Basically you’re looking for something that sets you apart. Something everyone hasn’t done who’s been in your role or hiring for it.

Duck Wearing Bow-Tie Walks Into Pub, Drinks Pint, Fights Dog, Loses

This headline was found and passed on by my friend, and Small Business Copywriter, Troy White.

And here’s the original story.

The point is. Is your resume bland and boring? Or does it catch the reader’s eye?

If you worked for a minor league baseball team and you had Duck Day at the park, could you work something similar into your resume?

For instance,

“Grew baseball park sales 28% with one blockbuster ‘Rubber Duck Pirate’ promotion.”

How would you rank your accomplishments in terms of the “3 M’s”?

Are they Measurable?

Are they Meaningful?

Are they Memorable?

Do your accomplishments stack up? Do they need some extra TLC to make them pop? Or do you need to actually accomplish something meaningful?

If the latter, be on the lookout for opportunities. They can be most anywhere. But you have to be open to them and willing to take on the challenges others may shy away from.

If the former, maybe you just someone else’s perspective. If that is the case, contact me to see how I may help.

Want to get more info on this topic, get my free report and weekly newsletter by subscribing here.

Online Job Boards Driving You Crazy?

How Recruiters Think…And Why It Matters For Your Sanity

Insider Secrets: How They Choose Who To Call For An Interview

Playing the Wrong [Job Search] Game?

August 18, 2016 by Mike McRitchie 5 Comments

You start your job search. What is the typical plan?

Create/Update your resume.
Tailor it to the specific position.
Submit it to a bunch of job boards like Monster and Indeed.
Respond to job postings on those job boards.
Hope…pray…wait for that call.

And what happens? Nothing. Why?

Let me share a recent experience my niece, Kelly McRitchie, shared with me about her search.

She’s a new graduate with a nursing degree and nursing license. She has high hopes of landing an acute care nursing job at a top hospital. And she is fighting an uphill battle.

Here’s what she told me.

The biggest challenge with a job search as a new grad RN is EVERY. SINGLE. JOB. WANTS. EXPERIENCE.

Drives me nuts because I just graduated, just got my license, and am looking for my FIRST nursing job. How am I supposed to apply to these positions that say at least 3 years experience, 1 year of acute care experience, 1 year of experience “in floor your are applying for”, and oh yeah…NO NEW GRAD PLEASE. That narrows it down to almost nothing.

Every day is like a scavenger hunt to find available positions that say NEW GRADS WELCOME TO APPLY or even better when a hospital opens up a new grad program and hires 10-20+ newly graduated nurses at a time. This only happens about 3x a year for UC Davis, UCSF, Stanford, and other large hospital and randomly for other hospitals.

Also, each cohort has 500+ new nurses that are applying from all over CA because they are so well known and many nurses are still without a job at that time due to the competition.

Maybe you’ve been in a similar situation.

You’ve got your shiny new college degree and no relevant job experience.
You have experience but don’t meet the degree/educational requirements of the job posting.
You’re one of hundreds of applicants (many equally or more qualified than you).

And as a result you feel like you’re Sisyphus rolling the rock up the hill…and then it keeps rolling back down.

via GIPHY

So being the rational person she is, Kelly investigated to learn to improve her chances at this game.

Not only is just finding a position that is hiring new grads hard but then when you apply to each position you have to make sure you go through Jobscan (affiliate link)

(something I learned on the new grad Facebook group) where you post the job description and your resume and JobScan will analyze your KEYWORDS and see how many words on your resume match the position you are applying for.

The goal is to get at least 80-90% if you are lower than that the HR’s Applicant Tracking Systems will automatically throw your application and hard work of altering your resume and cover letter out the window without even looking back.

I tested this out quickly by throwing my non-optimized resume into JobScan and compared it to a generic job description.

And I sucked! 30%!

Obviously there is more to it than just dumping something in there and having it match up.

So this is where you get to learn not just how to do the job, and not just how to do basic job searches and job interviews, but how to be an SEO (search engine optimization) and marketing expert in all your spare time (if you’re actually working some job to pay the bills) or paying someone else to help you do it.

Becoming an SEO Expert

This was Kelly’s experience.

I had to apply to a position with Alameda Hospital 3 times with 3 different strategies in order to get a call back.

First, I used my generic resume and a specific cover letter without using JobScan(before I knew about it)…DENIED.

Then, I used the position description exact word for word key words under some of my jobs on my resume and DENIED.

The 3rd time I used a mixture of my own descriptions and their key words where I had about 90% on JobScan and got the interview.

So that just proves its all about their filter system. After altering your resume and writing a new cover letter for each job you apply for, which can be up to 5 positions a day sometimes, and making sure they have at least 80-90% of key words, it can be very tiresome. It becomes like your second job.

You can sense the frustration in her voice.

Is this what we’ve been reduced to? Trying to please the Applicant Tracking System gods?

There’s got to be a better way, hasn’t there?

Yes, degrees are valuable.

Yes, experience moves you up the food chain.

And Yes, not every job is a fit for your skill set just yet.

But there’s more to that story…

Being new to the job search process there’s much to learn. For Kelly it was her first time down that road. For others you’ve done it before. But that may have been years ago. And as you can see, things have changed. And in many cases fairly dramatically. The internet, applicant tracking systems, and search engine optimization have been major contributing factors along with tightened recruiting and staffing budgets.

Dealing with all this change can be tough on any new job hunter. Getting support and guidance along the way can be critical to avoid the downward spiral of frustration and despair.

So I would have to say the second biggest frustration is keeping that positive attitude when you have been denied to majority of jobs you apply to.

After spending time finding a new grad program by looking morning and night on Indeed.com, craigslist, and specific hospitals websites, finally finding one and spending 1-2 hours putting together your resume/cover letter, going through Jobscan, just to be rejected a week later is very discouraging. You start to lose hope after awhile.

But having support groups like the Facebook new grad RN group really makes it better because we can all relate. We build each other up and suggest ways we can try altering our resume more or making yourself really stand out. They say all it takes is one person. One manager to see your resume and call you for an interview.

Get the Support You Need

Just like the internet can add roadblocks to the process, as you see, there are also resources out there – many specific to your job hunting niche – that you can lean on to help you through the process. Whether that is industry support groups, college resources, blogs, and resume writing and job search coaching resources out there.

Sometimes it is may just be a matter of recognizing you’re at the start of your career and not jumping too many steps ahead in the process. Then you can start looking for the entry job that gets you the job you really want.

Until then we get experience where we can- like me getting my Medic Ambulance position. Sometimes you have to start from the bottom and work your way up but also you want to set yourself up so that the experience you will have will be valuable to the hospital setting and specific area you are interested in. Its a lot about strategizing, “playing the game”, and practicing interviewing because once you get that one interview, it may be the only one for another month so its time to shine!

In other cases where that is the entry point, and you still are dealing with being one of 200+ resumes that are submitted, you need to look at the process and ask, “How can I separate myself and not be commoditized by the process?”

That requires looking at how the process is currently engineered to exclude people and figure out how to move yourself up into the short list.

Use the Tools

One method is using a tool like JobScan to leapfrog those other people who don’t optimize their resume for keywords (cutting that pool of 200 down to 20-50). But then you’re still hoping you’re a better player of their game than others.

What if you could go a different route that changes the paradigm?

The one area that applicant tracking systems and keyword optimization don’t address is the human side of the process.

They are designed to filter out people before you get the opportunity to sell yourself.

What Other Options Exist for the Non-Techie?

What if there was a way to sell yourself first so that you’re resume is already on the short list when you submit it?

Wouldn’t that be worth the time and effort you’re spending on the technical side of your search?

Before I tell you this approach and how it might shortcut your search, let me share my experiences in hiring staff.

The Life of a Hiring Manager

First off hiring managers don’t like to go through the hiring process. It takes away from their job duties and project work they need to accomplish. It is a distraction. It is not something they are good at (otherwise they’d probably work for HR or be recruiters themselves). They begrudgingly do the tasks but they love shortcuts (rather than having to cull through 200 resumes and do 30+ interviews to find one or two people to make offers to).

So that is where HR departments screening out candidates and applicant tracking system screening processes come in. They help reduce the workload of the hiring manager.

But what if someone came to that hiring manager prescreened and available? People are inherently lazy. They love easy way outs. And if they have someone they already connect with and think would be good for their department, they’d love to just say yes to them and get them on board rather than guessing at someone that comes through the normal process. This is especially true since interviews rarely give you a true sense of someone’s personality and how they will or won’t fit in your department.

Beating the System

So how does this work?

Step 1: Determine possible companies you’d want to work for.

The first step is really important. Where would you like to work? What about that place intrigues you? Learn all you can about it. Read the website. Talk to people who work there. Ask industry contacts.

Step 2: Narrow down your possible job titles.

What role are you looking for? Go on the job sites and download the job postings. Review for keywords and educational and experience requirements. Can you meet most of them? Is there anything you don’t have that will prevent your hire?

Many times hiring managers and company HR/Recruiting managers put in their best case list of requirements. Many times that perfect candidate does not exist. Or they are so overqualified they’d be looking for jobs one or two levels higher.

Don’t cross yourself off the list prematurely.

But at the same time there are situations where requirements are cast in stone (like government or Fortune 500 companies that might have an MBA or Bachelors Degree required – where it really is). If that is the case and you’ve proven in through your search, you may need to rethink things.

Step 3: Find Hiring Managers.

Hiring managers are your gateway to that job. They can move you to the top of the list or drop you out of consideration with a flick of the wrist. So you’ve got 3-5 companies you’re interested in working for. Now find the hiring managers who work at those companies in the departments you want to work. This may require a little detective work. Calling people, emailing, networking with associates. But this is a critical piece that very few people do. Most people are submitting resumes to a nameless, faceless company contact. Don’t be like that. Make that final connection.

Step 4: Take Hiring Managers and those in your desired position to coffee.

Hiring managers hire for the jobs you want. Others in the jobs you want can give you insights as to what the job is like and when openings might be coming up.

I often hire people who were referred by others who want to work with good people like them. If I’m hiring a construction manager or project coordinator, often my existing staff know others like them who are looking for those same jobs. And you know someone who will end up working with these people are not likely to refer a dud (since they’ll experience the pain of a so so worker affecting their work).

And hiring managers will be able to tell you when a job is opening up in their department or hear from other hiring managers looking for the same.

So take them all out to coffee – one or two a week should do. Quickly (in a month or two) you’ll have a good network of people you can contact from time to time regarding opportunities or to provide guidance in your search. And you can be on the short list when an opportunity approaches.

Want to learn more about how to do that? Need coaching assistance or resume help? Let me know how I can help.

And realize there are more options available to you that you might be considering. And good luck on your search!

Are They Conspiring Against You? 10 Career-Killing Landmines They’ll Never Tell You

August 11, 2016 by Mike McRitchie Leave a Comment

You’re dedicated. Hard-working. You come in before sunrise and leave after sunset. You work nights and weekends. You pour your heart into your work. You’re a team player.

And it may not matter.

Sure you’re needed. You’re the cornerstone of the operation. You keep the business afloat.

And that is exactly why they are keeping these secrets from you and conspiring against your career growth.

They may not tell you (why would they?) but it is there all the same. A seething, slithering, snake. There to prevent your passage to the promised land of a stellar career. Fame and fortune. Okay, maybe not that great. But you catch my drift.

So what is happening here?

They’re holding you back. Sometimes intentionally. Sometimes they’re not even aware of it. But it is like a cinder block on your chest. Weighing you down. Preventing you from advancing.

It isn’t obvious. They aren’t discriminating against you in the classic sense. They know all about protected classes and take extra caution to avoid those landmines. Companies don’t want to be sued and HR departments are always on high alert for their managers unlawfully discriminating – they’ll deal with that quickly and harshly.

But people discriminate all the same. In different and more subtle ways. And many times you or they are not even aware it is going on. So what are the ways they discriminate against you that are potentially killing you career?

10 Career-Killing Landmines

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwDMFOLIHxU[/youtube]

#1 – You’re Milk-Toast, Not A Standout

Are you living under the radar? Do you avoid conflict? Do you come in and leave at the same time? Do the same work day after day?

Progressing in your career requires setting yourself apart. How can you do this?

Take on additional tasks that need to get done. Being that go-to person will get you noticed.

Don’t be afraid to give yourself a “afterthought compliment”. For example, “That was fun seeing this project through. I think I learned a lot about doing X with Y for Z in the process.” By doing this you aren’t coming off as bragging, you are just doing a little light self promotion. It is relatively easy to work that into the conversation when the appropriate topic arises.

Is there a critical project? Take it on. Lead it. Be part of the team that makes it happen. You’d be amazed at how many people shirk additional work. That is often the difference between succeeding in your career and life and not. Just like the “kick” in the last 100 meters of a distance race, going the “extra mile” can be the career boost you need.

#2 – You’re The “Nice Guy”, Not The “Bad Boy”

Tips from the dating world. Women want the nice guy but fall for the bad boy. What is this phenomenon? It is all about mystery, unattainability, adventure, and breaking the rules.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5HX7y1yDi4[/youtube]

They say they want predictability and security and someone who’s a good husband and father. But then they get on the back of the Harley and ride off with the guitar player with more tatoos than common sense.

It is the same on the job. If you’re too reliable and too willing to go along with everything, they start to think you can’t think for yourself. That you’re not valuable enough. And not in demand.

If they think you’re the “Company Man” instead of the “Hired Gun” then your value to them has just tanked.

Are headhunters hunting you? Are you an “A Player”? Do you have a relaxed, nothing-phases-you aire about you? Are your skills bigger than the job? Or are you just treading water.

It is okay to learn on the job. But at a certain point if you want to be a leader, you’re going to need to be able to “kill-what-you-eat”. And sometimes that means stepping on some toes, taking some risks, and making things happen (instead of waiting for others to make them happen).

#3 – You’re The Glue

You’re the “It” person. You’re the one everyone goes to when they need things handled. You’re the information treasure-trove. You’re who’s been around forever and knows the inner workings of the company like no one else.

And if that’s you, you’re career is on life-support.

Why?

Because they can’t have you leave. And if you’re in that critical role, they can’t afford to promote you either. What you’ve learned over your time there is stuff that they can’t teach. It would take three or more people to do your job.

But even though that is the case, they can’t afford to pay you that way. They just don’t see your role translate into bottom line dollars. The waters have been muddied because you don’t fit your job description anymore.

So your options are either say in the role forever, or leave the company. And leaving the company can be difficult as well, because just like your company can’t fit you into a single job description, a new company can’t either. So the only way you get out of these situations is the company goes under or gets sold and you get laid off, or you move on.

#4 – You’re Home-Grown

They hired you away from the local coffee shop you were a barista at. You became their receptionist, then a coordinator or admin assistant. But how do you jump from that to the next role? Maybe it is a project role or manager role.

You may qualify for that project role having learned the necessary skills over the prior couple years. But does your boss see it? Or do they still see you as you were when you joined the company?

This is the biggest career-killer I see on a regular basis. Whether is the the boss or clients. They don’t view you as the market does. When you submit your resume for a new job opportunity outside your company, they largely take your resume at face value. They don’t already have experience with you. So you are evaluated on your resume, your interviewing skills, and what others say about you and your skills. And often they don’t ask your prior boss (or the boss just refers the question to HR who avoids answering it to minimize liability).

How do you move up when you’re home-grown? You need to perform and create demand. Often it requires having other job offers before they’ll see your added value. And even with that often they won’t because they’re caught inside their unchanging view of you in their mind.

#5 – Your Next Role Doesn’t Exist

This is another big one people miss. You want to take that next step. You’ve met the requirements. You’ve earned it. And you don’t get it. Why? Because it doesn’t exist.

Positions don’t exist in a vacuum. Workload and economics must support the hiring or promotion need. If the need isn’t there or the company can’t make money with someone in that role, then it doesn’t get filled. And you don’t get promoted.

This is especially true in consulting/project-based companies. With the ebb and flow of project workloads, job positions are especially fluid. What you do today may be totally different tomorrow – even in the same job classification. But adding that new role requires justification at many levels. And any point in the approval chain can deep six the opportunity.

#6 – Stinky Communications

Effective communications are key to professional effectiveness. An the higher you go in an organization, the more important that skill set is to success. What communications stink?

Bad spelling and grammar

This can really stunt your growth into management. If that is you, I’d highly recommend additional schooling or training to handle this. If you have no designs on management then you can probably get by. But people will judge you by the words you use and how you use them.

Negativity/Attacking others

This happens all the time in emails. Assuming bad intent often turns emails into nuclear escalations. Similarly your demeanor around others – whether the water cooler or the boardroom – can affect how others view you.

Unclear or Cluttered

Do you make your case and get to the point? Do you back up your points with facts or examples? Do you write emails your boss would be comfortable forwarding without editing?

#7 – They Don’t Trust You

Are you stirring up trouble? Trying to manipulate others to get your way? Backstabbing, spreading gossip, trying to overthrow the regime don’t get you on people’s good list. And even if they’re part of your master scheme, your compatriots won’t value you either.

I remember watching episodes of “The Bachelor” where one bachelorette would be scheming and two-faced. They would lose because the rest of the women would see it and rat her out. But also the one who tried to rally the other women to rat her out. She would also get tossed.

Manipulation and conniving, although great for TV, is bad for your career. Don’t do it.

#8 – You’re A Threat

Who? Little ‘ol me? Yes you. Are you great at what you do but your boss is worthless? Then you’re a threat.

Do you bring a more impressive resume or skill-set that your boss is intimidated by? Then you’re a threat.

Have you gone over your boss’s head with a grievance or promoting your ideas? Then you’re a threat.

Do you have your coworkers behind you? Then you’re a threat.

Do you have other options outside your current job? Then you’re a threat.

Anything that limits your boss’ power to get things done through you without risking his or her own job can be a threat. And if they are threatened by you, they won’t help your career.

Go find a boss who isn’t threatened by you and your career will blossom.

#9 – You Can’t Be Counted On To Deliver

Do you miss deadlines? Forget things? Not show up on time…or at all?

If that is you you probably aren’t reading this. But for everyone else, don’t forget that consistently meeting commitments ensures that you can be counted on by others. And if you are, they’ll want you around. And that is good for you.

How do you do it better? Set phone reminders in your calendar. Give yourself extra time to arrive early. Set interim targets and a due date before the due date to ensure you meet your commitments.

Improve your productivity. Check out these ways.

#10 – You’re “Low Energy”

“Low Energy” comes in several forms. There’s the “slow talker” who takes 30 seconds to say what someone else can get out in 10. Or it takes you all day to respond to a simple email. Or you don’t appear to have a sense of urgency.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsLUidiYm0w[/youtube]

Not sure if this is you? Ask someone around you and they’ll tell you. Often you’ll notice because they finish your sentences, interrupt, fidget in your presence, send you a text or email rather than talking to you on the phone or in person.

Particularly in the project world or wireless system development, lack of sense of urgency is a definite career killer. You’ll be labeled a producer but never a project manager or leader or the go-to person. In this world, time definitely is money. Want an example? Take a project that has a fixed duration. When the project is over you’re expenses end. But during the project many expenses are fixed, not variable. A project manager’s time, although sometimes can be shifted to other projects, often is required for the project duration. So if you wrap up the project in six months instead of nine, you save three months of salary and benefits. And that difference drops straight to the bottom line.

So don’t be “low energy”. Look at your work-life as an opportunity to get more accomplished in less time. Your team will appreciate it.

What to do next…

Is your career stuck? Do you see yourself stepping on any of these landmines? Need help?

Check out these resources:

How Recruiters Think…and its not what you think

How To Get That Job [Insider Secrets]

3 Must-Know Project Management Tips

What To Do When You’re Stuck In A Dead-End Job

Need Resume Help?

What Is Your Story?

August 6, 2016 by Mike McRitchie 1 Comment

You see it every day on Facebook. Your friends are out doing cool things. Traveling the world, getting out, enjoying life. Their stories are being told through their posts.

You see it in what they do outside of work. They rebuild classic cars, knit or quilt, take awesome photographs, go to concerts, pro sports, and other events.

They build small businesses around their interests. They drive for Uber of Lyft. Maybe they are dog walkers. Their kids take care of the neighbors’ cat and collect the mail when they’re on vacation or babysit.

We are a country of doers.

We don’t like to just sit around and let Father Time pass us by. We have to be in the game. Getting our wins, and accepting failure as just another way to learn and grow.

We spend money pursuing our passions and bringing home the bacon.

And we do most of this 90% of the time on autopilot.

Decisions you’ve made years ago are playing out every day. Your destiny is largely already written by your habits that will get certain results. If you come home every day and go for a run you will stay fit. If you’ve committed yourself to a healthy eating lifestyle and surround yourself with food that supports you in that effort, you will many times stay healthy. If you have that hobby that drives you, you will often become an expert in that field. In your job or business it is the same way. You are getting really good at it and that drives future business or your career.

So today I have a few questions for you to ask yourself.

Are you on the right path?

Everyone is on a path that is designing their future. Is it the right one? Is the destiny you are creating one you’re proud of? What will they say about you when you’re gone? Did you make a positive difference in others’ lives? Did you contribute to the best of your abilities? Did you use God’s gifts wisely?

Take a few minutes to look inside. When you reflect back on what you’ve done over the last year, how proud of your accomplishments are you? How have you grown? How have you impacted others’ lives? Are you doing what you are meant to do? Is it a great story?

If you’re building a great story then you’re probably on the right path. If not, now may be the time to change the path you’re on. If you are on the right path, or you’ve decided on a new path, let’s jump into the next question.

How do you get more from your journey?

So you’re on the right path or jumping into a new one. How do you make the most of it?

Many people are living lives of quiet desperation. They are just getting through the days and weeks and years. They have no plan for themselves. They are putting in their time, waiting for retirement (that they’re woefully unprepared for) and just sleepwalking through life.

By now you’ve chosen not to be one of those people. Life is too short. But are you getting the most from your life decisions and the path you are walking today?

If you have a hobby or passion you pursue, how can you get more from it? Is there an event you can work towards that will showcase your knowledge or talent? Is there a goal you can set for yourself to take your skills to a new and exciting level?

Is you getting the most from your career? Are you in the right job? Is it building the skills you need to progress your career? Or are you stalled? If stalled, could you take on new responsibilities or projects that would build your future you and move your career in the right direction? Are you building the relationships that will be necessary to draw from as you become a leader in your field?

Do you have a side business that you’re using to pursue your passions or just pay some bills or to build that vacation fund or pay off some debt that’s been dragging you down, or building up that rainy day fund or that house down payment?

Getting the most out of everything you do requires you first recognize that your life is about, setting goals to support it, and then viewing opportunities and challenges through that lens.

The key to getting more out of your life is to first treat it as something that must be developed. It can’t be just an afterthought. And once you do treat it that way, you’ll find the opportunities to learn, grow, build a career or business, and reach your financial or fitness goals will become much more attainable.

And when you do that you’ll be building an amazing life story. One you’ll be proud of and those around you will acknowledge and support.

Need help uncovering or optimizing your story?

Check out these resources.

What does your personal brand say about you?

Are you a doer?

How can you be more interesting?

Need to get out of a dead-end job?

Still need more help? Contact me and we’ll figure it out together. Or subscribe to my ezine for weekly insights.