Thankful For You.

In ordinary life,

We hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give,

and that it is only with gratitude that

our lives become truly prosperous.

Today, and every day, I am thankful for you.

With gratitude - Rich

What's Missing From Your Thanksgiving Table This Year?

Sweet Potatoes? Peas? Squash? Corn? No. Is it a loved one who passed away this year? Is it a family member who is serving our country overseas?

Let's all take a moment and express our love and gratitude for all the people in our lives.

But today, I would like to go a little deeper — what's missing from your INNER Thanksgiving table this year?

Have you lost your job? Have you lost confidence in yourself? Have you lost your clients? Have you lost your focus?

2010 has been both problematic and revelatory for many of my clients, colleagues, and friends. Some are up, some are down.

But the one thing we all need to remember, is that we have the ability to change. To take action. To slowly (or quickly) start turning our fortunes around to where we want them to go.

Only YOU have the ability to change where you are.

Only YOU can make the decision to begin charting a new course.

Everyone else can only be a tool to help YOU accomplish your goals. We can show you how to swing the club, YOU are the only person who must swing and hit the ball.

So at this time of the year, let's all be thankful that we have the ability to take action. The ability to change course.

And the gratitude to realize that Friday is also a holiday — spend some time that day to start taking action.

P.S. Here's a Thanksgiving gift for you to download and enjoy.

Never, Never, Never Give Up.

This is a quote from the great Winston Churchill. It was given to me many years ago by my oldest brother BIll, when I started my business. It hangs in my office.

What does it mean to me?

• Be consistent. If you have an idea, check it, and follow through on it.
• Be persistent. If you've reached out to a prospect or colleague and they haven't returned your call, keep calling them.
• Be provocative. Stand out from the crowd so you're noticed. It gets harder and harder every year since there are more of us to wade through.
• Be magnanimous. Never give up on a relationship or friendship. Be the one who wears their heart on their sleeve and makes the first move.
• Be intrusive. As I say to my clients, "Be a wood tick — burrow down to get that client, to sell that idea."
• Be true to your philosophy. Just because someone else pooh-poohs your beliefs, doesn't mean your wrong. They probably are.
• Be faithful. Stand behind your friends, colleagues and clients — if they need help or a good word, you should be there for them.
• And finally . . .

Be thankful. You are a wonderful human being. Take pride in what you've accomplished. Look at your mistakes and failures as learning opportunities and grow from them. Focus on your strengths and see how far you can take them. Just a small push can work wonders.

"Never, Never, Never, Never Give Up."

If you have any other additions, let us know! I would love to hear how you feel about this quote.

RUN OUT and Get This Book Today.

I LOVE Michael Port. Okay, I've never met the guy, but I do love his book. When I run into a good business book (and there are a lot of stinkers out there), I promote it: The man is a genius. He not only develops and publishes the bible on "Book Yourself Solid", in it, he links to a workbook which is a very powerful way for one to really LEARN his techniques.

I am currently finishing up the book and I am frankly blown away with all the great ideas, tools, and practices he espouses.

First, he breaks up his book into three major sections (to allow my small adult brain to wrap itself around his philosophy):

• Your Foundation - he builds you up to allow you to take on the tasks he instructs you to accomplish.
• Building Trust and Credibility - the building blocks to allow you to get those key clients.
• The Book Yourself Solid 7 Core Self-Promotion Strategies - The seven activities that make things HAPPEN.

Let me get quite specific — here are some of the topics he covers:

• The Red Velvet Rope Policy - Only do business with clients that you really like (and need).
• Why People Buy What You’re Selling - The philosophy behind their actions.
• Develop a Personal Brand - Get specific on what you do.
• How to Talk About What You Do - Be a billboard and spread it to the world.
• Who Knows What You Know and Do They Like You? - Is your current biz model working?
• The Book Yourself Solid Sales Cycle Process - The basic process laid out.
• The Power of Information Products - What works, what doesn't.
• Super Simple Selling - How to sell.

He then covers in-depth:

• Networking
• Direct Outreach
• Referrals
• Web Strategy
• Speaking and Demonstrating
• Writing
• Keep-In-Touch

Bottom line — this book has numerous practical and achievable approaches for those that have an aversion to being sold to or look unfavorably towards the sales and marketing profession due to sorted bad experiences to date.

Pick this up today at Amazon. Michael's web site can be found here.

Slow Down. You Move Too Fast.

Washington DC Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approximately 2000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

After three minutes a middle-aged man noticed that was a musician playing, he slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 Minutes Later: The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and without stopping, continued to walk.

6 Minutes Later: A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 Minutes Later: A 3-year-old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.

45 Minutes: The musician played continuously. Only six people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money, but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

One Hour: He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.

Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

Joshua Bell playing incognito in the Metro Station was organized by the Washington Post as a part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities.

The questions raised: in a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made . . .

How many other things are we missing?

10 Ways To Guarantee Clients.

Okay — let's get down and dirty with this post. You want clients, you know they're out there, and it's just a matter of getting them to see you and closing them effectively. Here are 10 ways you can get A LOT closer to some of your best clients, pull them in, and make them YOURS:

1. Develop Value & Status It's simple: The more expensive a product is, the more the prospect infers better quality. The more it makes them successful, more hip or more accepted by their peers the more they value it. How can you build in value and status into your product offering - from the minute they hear of you to the final closing sale statement?
2. Be Prepared Know who your best prospects are, where they are located, where they go, what they do, when you can approach them, how you can approach them, and the most important — why they need you. If you have these answered (I've taken many of my clients through this in about an hour), your success rate will double.
3. Look Professional You are in business. The more that you define 'business' and the less you define 'hobby', the more successful you will be. Bottom line — you have to spend money to make money. Look the part, dress professionally, carry professionally designed and printed cards, have a professionally produced web site — play the part.
4. Act Confident & Composed First impressions are key — you need to have the right attitude and appearance. Smile, approach the prospect, be the first one to speak, welcome them, smile, look into their eyes, be interested in them, stand straight and tall, stand up/no sitting when meeting, don't carry a lot of bags and SMILE. You know your business cold — act like it.
5. Take Action . . . Frequently So many people get themselves all ready to go out and conquer the marketplace, but are afraid of taking the next step by actually doing it. Get out there and touch your prospects. Make that phone call RIGHT NOW. Send that letter TODAY.
6. Ask Lots of Questions & Listen Make this meeting about THEM, not you. Learn all about their day, their business, their goals, their obstacles, their business interactions, their vendors, their family, and even their shoes. The more that you learn about them, the easier it is for you to position and inculcate your products and services into their life.
7. Deliver Solutions Selectively When I sell a prospect, I don't barrage them with a myriad of offerings and services. I ask questions, listen, and pitch a single solution. If they bite, great. If not, I ask them what's holding them back, and then I either modify my current offering or pitch an alternate solution. Too many people try to show the whole store in one sitting — that's a mistake.
8. Go For The Close Too many people out there don't know how to close. Here are a few simple close phrases that you can use. Remember, once you say it to a potential client, shut up. Let them respond. Too many people blabber on and lose all the power of a perfect sales close. (many of these come from my friends on the LinkedIn Group, Sales Playbook!): - "How does that sound to you?" - "Does that sound fair?" - "When would you like for us to get started?" - "If everything looks good, why don't you go ahead and approve this and I will take care of all the details." - "So, let's do this. I will be here every step of the way to make sure everything goes exactly as we discussed." And my favorite: "Sounds like you want to go ahead with this."
9. Go Above & Beyond Once you get them as a client, don't sit back and catch your breath. This is the most important time to quickly manage their expectations and serve them. Follow up and send them a thank you email and mail a personalized, hand-written card. Endeavor to deliver the first step of what you agreed upon ASAP, exceed their expectations. This one little action will define your relationship for a long time.
10. Be Persistent If they need to think about it, give them space, but ensure that you have a solid follow up date and time to get back to them. If you can, make it an in-person meeting and try to bring additional information or answers they might need to that meeting. If they turn you down, it's usually about fear of spending money or lack of information about your product/service. These are two areas that you can remedy pretty quickly with some basic follow-up sales questions.

3 Ways To Step Back & Look At The Big Picture.

We all get caught in the minutiae. And it's not our fault. Our job, our life, even our world makes us focus on the small things. That's how we get things done. But sometimes, even if it's once a year, you need to step back, pick up your head, and see the entire picture. But for many of us, that's hard to do. Why?

• We don't have the time.
• We are afraid of what we will see.
• We don't know how to do it.

So here are three simple ways to step back and see the BIG picture:

1. Take a day off from work. Look, it's mid-November. If you're like me, you have LOTS of vacation days just sitting there waiting to be used for something important. Let your boss know that you need to take a day off, don't tell your family, and go somewhere quiet (your local library is perfect — resources, tables and free wi-fi) to THINK.
2. Ask a friend for help. It could be your spouse, partner, colleague — anyone. If you've been having trouble actually setting aside time to do some strategic thinking, leaning on another person will ensure you will make the time. In addition, they will be an incredible sounding board to really think big. You can also help them with their big picture thinking too!
3. Break it up. Instead of a 'big bang' full day of strategic thinking, segment it into one-hour increments over two weeks. Get into work early (like I am doing right now - I'm sitting in a Starbucks at 5:45 AM), and start thinking BIG.

Thank You Bethel Library!

Thank you again for attending our workshop Tuesday night! We had a packed house and based on the feedback, everyone had a powerful experience. First off, a big thank you to Susan and Kate — the consummate hosts at the Bethel Library. What a great venue and what a great library — I will be stopping by there more often to peruse their books and research material!

As promised, here are the links to access the full presentation and the article Rich & Margo mentioned. We hope you enjoy using them to accelerate your job search:

Get Tough - The Best Jobs Are Never Advertised™ — Full Presentation (13mb)

The Best Jobs Are Never Advertised — Step-By-Step Article (1mb)

By the way, if you have changed your mind and would like to learn more about the Get Tough Intensive, don't hesitate — give us a call:

Margo - 203.857.0261 Rich - 203.500.2421

Otherwise - Enjoy the holidays and we hope you have an unbelievable 2011!

Regards - Margo Meeker & Rich Gee

5 Ways To Guarantee A Great Job In Sales.

I have a lot of friends, colleagues, and clients who lost their job and quickly took up with an organization as an account executive. Unfortunately, when they were 'trained' and 'graduated', they found that it's a cold and cruel world out there. With the exception of their family and friends, they had to cold call all types of people to hawk their wares. And that's all they got from their company.

Here are the 5 (okay I lied . . . six . . . extra credit) tips that I relate to all of my clients when looking at any sales opportunity:

1. It must have a defined territory or product line. There are a million sales positions out there and most of them are not relegated to any type of territory or product line. The problem is that you will (not might, will) get overlapping salespeople hawking the same service or product to the same person or company. And that's a bad thing. It immediately communicates that the product is not interested in solving the company's problem, it's more interested in pushing its product. Any sales position worth its salt must have some sort of defined territory, client level, or product line.
2. It must have a current client base that is handed off to you to begin covering. This is basic sales management. When you take over a territory, product line, or client level, associated clients are apportioned to you. This gives you the running start that you'll need to maintain and excel at your new position. It also throws you right into the line of fire so you learn your craft and products quickly.
3. It must have past customers or clients that can be called on. Every good sales position has a number of prospects that got away or clients that have defected to the enemy. It's your job to go get them back. Unless it's a new company with new products. Then be wary — have them demonstrate planned success in your territory.
4. It must have an opportunity to cold call new clients. Cold calling is standard in any sales position — but it should never be the ONLY way you get clients. Any company that shoves you out into the blizzard with a bunch of hokey brochures to only cold call . . . BEWARE.
5. It must be with a company that spends big bucks on marketing, advertising and promotion. This is a big one. You will be swinging in the wind if your company spends too little or no portion of their budget on marketing. I've worked with many clients who have wondered why they've struck out selling a company's products when no one knows who they represent. For instance, would you buy an iPad without all of Apple's marketing and management of the media?
6. It must have some type of salary base. Any offered position must be positioned as a win-win for both the employer and employee. When the employer takes no risk whatsoever and pays no base salary, they have nothing to lose. But YOU DO. Get them to take a bit of risk too.

Now one opportunity might have some of these offerings and some might have all. Bottom line — the more offerings you get — the stronger the foundation you will have to build a firm and successful sales presence. This isn't my opinion, it's a fact.

5 Ways To Be Happy.

“Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections.” - Unknown Too bad we'll never know who originally said this great quote. A little secret . . . this is one of my mantras in life. Let's think about it:

1. Stop complaining about your job. Start doing something about it. Take steps to make it more challenging, more interesting, more fun. Step out of your comfort zone and ask your boss for more work. Try to stretch yourself and speak about a new, strategic idea that might impact the company. Do something that changes your work dynamic — and see if that makes a difference.
2. Stop complaining about the economy. Many people today are making big bucks again. Go find them and see what they are doing. Copy them. Doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome is crazy — start benchmarking other successful behaviors and you'll slowly become successful. In the process, you might run across a person that you might want to hook up with that will demonstrably change your perspective.
3. Stop complaining about your marriage. At one time, you loved your spouse or partner. Find out why and focus in on those elements. You both have changed but take the time to fall in love AGAIN. Spend more time together, take little walks, go to dinner, get to know one another again. You might surprise yourself. Just open your heart to your spouse - that's the secret. Again, take the time to fall in love again.
4. Stop complaining about money. You have two choices, make due with what you currently have or change the game and make more. If you have to make due, go visit this site (http://almostfrugal.com/) or this site (http://zenhabits.net/the-cheapskate-guide-50-tips-for-frugal-living/)- they're the best. If you need to make more money, investigate if you have the ability for a raise at your current level. If not, you need to change the game and move laterally, up, or leave your job altogether. Another suggestion is to start doing something on the side that will make extra cash. I still remember meeting an older couple at a bed & breakfast who told my wife and I (we were newlyweds) to always have a side job that brought in extra income. They took old grape vines, twisted them into wreaths and sold them at craft shows - it paid for a very comfortable retirement.
5. Stop complaining about life. Life is made up of options and choices. Most of the time, people who are disappointed about life have limited their options and sometimes make the wrong choices. So, to make your life a little bit better, figure out how to expand your options and make more educated and informed decisions. Unless you're in prison, you always have options and choices — just broaden your perspective.

Get the pattern? Stop complaining about something in your life and start doing . . . take action and change it!

The International Coaching Federation Welcomes Rich Gee.

Incredible. I had a great time Friday morning presenting to a packed crowd at the Connecticut Chapter of the International Coaching Federation. I was blown away with the attendance of so many powerful peers in the industry, all looking to collaborate and learn how to leverage our craft more effectively in this changing marketplace — it's nice to present to a group I know I can help.

Based on the feedback I received via my evaluation forms, everyone had a powerful experience.

First off, a big 'thank you' to the entire ICF committee. I run workshops all across the country in many venues — they were the perfect hosts (they covered ALL the bases), the location was smashing (I love the Doubletree Hotel - it was just renovated), the room was perfect, the food scrumptious, and any request was met with a smile. Kudos!

As promised, here are the links to access the full presentation and the sites I mentioned:

1. Market Yourself To Success — Full Presentation (13mb - might take a bit to download)
2. Business Cards - Moo.com or 4by6.com (tell them Rich Gee sent you)
3. Virtual Office - Regus.com
4. Website Company Who Built My Wordpress Site - Nurenu.com (tell BJ Flagg you were sent by Rich Gee)
5. Wordpress - www.wordpress.com
6. Template for my Wordpress Site - Thesis
7. PR Professional - Ron Magas at Magas Media Consultants, LLC - www.magasmedia.com (tell Ron you were sent by Rich Gee)
8. BNI - CT Chapter - www.bnict.com
9. Credit Card Payments - www.paypal.com (look for Virtual Terminal)
10. Professional Voice Mail Recordings - www.provoicegreetings.com
11. Matt Harding Video (big hit!) - Click Here
12. My Current Workshop Schedule - Click Here

Enjoy the rest of November and hope to see you again! - Rich

P.S. Books That I Recommend to businesses nationwide:

• Never Eat Alone
• Linchpin
• The Little Gold Book of Yes Attitude
• The Little Black Book of Connections
• Brag - The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It
• Strengthsfinder 2.0

Are You Ready For Success?

Success means having the courage, the determination, and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be." - George Sheehan Most of the time it's not the place, the time, the people, or the circumstances. It's YOU.

It's not the obstacles or lack of opportunity. It's YOU.

Successful people blast through obstacles and make their own opportunity.

It's that simple. So start today by looking inside and be the person you believe you were meant to be.

Do You Keep Your Nose To The Grindstone?

To grind corn in the old-time grist mills, corn was fed through a hole in the runner stone, and then, by means of centrifgugal force, was carried between two great stones, grinding all the way. However, these two great stones never touched. To accomodate the different grain sizes, the miller was able to adjust the gap between the stones by means of a wheel that was connected by a rod to a lever upon which the central shaft rested. The movement of this adjusting wheel moved one of the great grinding stones, the runner stone, from the other, called the bed stone.

By keeping their nose to the grindstone, the miller could detect the smell of granite, which indicated that the two grinding stones were too close together.

So the term "keeping your nose to the grindstone" doesn't really mean working hard or late. It means ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION?

• To what is important and letting go of the minutae that fills our valuable time.
• To what is happening at a macro and strategic level and not the small stuff.
• To who is leaving, who is coming aboard, and where you stand in the hierarchy.
• To your customer's wants, needs and concerns.

If you pay a little more attention to the important things, you'll grind a lot of grain, and keep your grist mill running strong.

Want To Be Successful? This Is What You Do.

This morning, I'm speaking in front of a packed crowd at the Wilton Library on LinkedIn.

Candidly, I'm not a true 'authority' on LinkedIn, but it does help my business, and I'm presenting to business owners about how they can leverage it too.

So you want to be successful? Want to make mid-to-high six figures a year? Learn how to speak in front of people. And get good at it. It takes practice — but once you have the correct formula of presence, information, and broadway — it works.

I'm not saying that speaking is the end-all of business, it's a tool to be used to help grow your business. The more people that you are in front of and can experience your service, the more that they actually sell themselves.

Why? Speakers are at the apex of communication. Of course we have writers and actors. We also have social media. But public speaking is one of the most powerful forms of communication today. Why?

• You instantly become an authority. People still respect professionals who speak and take the information they provide at face value. Try doing that in any other medium.
• You are a billboard for you and your company. Standing up and speaking on a topic commands respect — for you and your product. It's free advertising that actually works.
• You move people with your words. You touch their heartstrings. I've had people come up to me after a keynote or workshop and hug me. You don't get that from a Tweet.
• You get true two-way communication. Attendees can meet and touch you. They can ask questions and have your personalize your response to their situation. That's special today.
• You can guide them to other products you offer. Since they have already bought into you, they are usually very interested in extending the experience by purchasing more of your services. Your here to make MONEY.

So if you want to be truly successful — learn, practice and perfect your speaking style. Today.

Tough Times Never Last. Tough People Do.

I run a high-performance peer-advisory group — a great bunch of people who know what they want and know how to get it. The other day, one member recognized that everyone around the table 'survived' the past recession and are still in business. Some were still skeptical that the recession was over, but most agreed that tough times were behind us. Then one person said, "And this is the time to go for the gold. To think big. To take our businesses where we want them to go before the rest of the marketplace gets wise and catches up."

It's been a hard 2-3 years — we've all had to work  twice as hard to just make the same amount of money. We've seen many fellow friends fall by the wayside, many good businesses close. And many people still out of work looking for that prize job.

The reality is — tough times never last. There is an end to the economic instability. There might be another one coming (shut your mouth Rich Gee!), but for now, most economists (and the market) agree that things are getting better.

So what are you going to do about it? How are you going to 'go for the gold and think big?"

• Has your client base changed? Some gone away - new ones popped up? Do you know how to communicate to them?
• Has your company changed? Many were laid off, projects were cancelled. What rays of sunshine are beginning to stream down?
• What can you change about your business? New products? New services? New positioning?
• How can you grow yourself as an executive? Mobile is exploding. Communication channels are dying. What works? What doesn't?

You survived. Now it's time to step up to the plate and "Get Tough". Take action. Today.

Do You Have The Girlfriend Effect?

What's the Girlfriend Effect?

Remember in high school, if a boy didn't have a girlfriend, it was pretty darn near impossible for him to attract one? But if the boy did have a girlfriend, all her friends seemed to flock over to him and be instantly interested in him?

Well, the girlfriend effect is alive and well in business today and it starts with the atmosphere you create.

It's how you act, your confidence, your self-esteem, the way you react in situations, the way you carry yourself.

If you own or run your own business or if you are an executive in a corporation, you understand the power of first impressions, charisma, and confident behavior.

If you don't have it, you need to get it. When I work with my clients, I frequently say that you need to always have your "hot shit" persona on. Because if you don't think you are important, influential, and experienced, no one will. It all starts with you.

Here are some incredible books that you can grab to build your confidence, charisma, and image:

1. Executive Charisma: Six Steps to Mastering the Art of Leadership By D.A. Benton. A proven six-step process for acquiring the style, flair, and credibility needed to make it to the top. According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, managers who do not exude an all encompassing self-confidence, style, poise, and energy, in short, “executive presence,” are highly unlikely to make it to the corner office.
2. The Secret Language of Success: Using Body Language to Get What You Want By David Lewis. The jewel of my library. Have you ever felt that you could walk into a room without being noticed and leave and not be missed? Your inability to make your presence felt has probably made you frustrated on more than one occasion. This book teaches you the secret language of silent speech and body language.
3. How to Win Friends & Influence People By Dale Carnegie. This is the bible — buy it and live it. This grandfather of all people-skills books was first published in 1937. It was an overnight hit, eventually selling 15 million copies. How to Win Friends and Influence People is just as useful today as it was when it was first published, because Dale Carnegie had an understanding of human nature that will never be outdated.

P.S. Hope I haven't offended anyone by possibly positioning my post badly around women or men - not trying to be sexist here, just exhibiting a point.

Do You Have A Career "Plan B"?

You just missed the last recession, hopefully things are getting better. You're getting quite adept at dodging the executioner's axe — ducking at the last minute while watching fellow peers lose their heads. Are you talented or just lucky? At my last corporate gig, I managed to have seven bosses in six years. Six LONG years.

Talented and lucky just don't take you very far anymore. There might be a time when you need to resort to "Plan B".

What is "Plan B"? It's that time of your career when you realize that it's time to change, to make a move, to take ACTION. Some executives realize it when they are still employed and some realize it when they are carrying the contents of their desk in a box.

Here are some basic "Plan B" activities:

• Get Out & Meet New People. Today. Try to have lunch with a new person every week. Do it.
• Get Out & Strengthen Current/Old Relationships. They already know you. Pick the most motivational and influential and connect with them again.
• Brainstorm. Sit down with a white sheet of paper — draw a line down the center and write energize on the left and enervate on the right. List all the elements of past positions that energize you and all elements that enervate or deplete your energy. Your new position should leverage the 'energize' elements.
• Keep Alert. What's happening in your company? In your marketplace? In your city/state? What companies are doing well? Which ones need help? If you're going to go — go for the gold.
• Get Your Resume In Order. Work with a professional (I have a few great recommendations if need be).
• Start Reading The WSJ/Financial Times/The Economist/BusinessWeek. It tells you what's happening. Where to focus. What areas are growing, who's shrinking. New areas you never even knew existed.
• Past Bosses. Have lunch with them. Find out what they're doing. They might want you.

Bottom line, now is the time to take action and develop a robust "Plan B". Today.

10 Ways To Stop Worrying About Your Job.

It's still tough out there. You probably know at least one person who is unemployed (maybe more). And life in a company is a very lonely place when everyone is out for themselves (and worrying about their jobs).

So what do you do? Here are some tips to help you get past worrying and start moving forward:

1. Stay in the Present. Worrying projects your thinking in the future and you really can't do much about that. Focus on what is happening to you right NOW.
2. 80/20 Your Projects. Figure out all things you do at your job — dump the ones that are low-priority and won't give you any visibility. Focus on the ones that your boss really appreciates and will give you broad exposure.
3. Be Your Boss' Best Friend. I'm not saying you should suck up (although that doesn't hurt), but be positive, be a good friend, listen, give good feedback, ask great questions. Be valuable to them.
4. Keep Your Peripherals Moving. See who is doing what, where, when, why and how. Who has the mojo in the company. Who doesn't. I kept a file (at home) of what projects, people, and departments were doing.
5. Connect. I can't say this enough (and I do frequently on this blog) — get out frequently and meet other colleagues to discuss business and marketplace issues. A broader vision outside of work is refreshing, motivational, and inspiring.
6. Don't Partake In Gossip. The office soap opera is a time-waster. Of course keep your ears open for factual happenings, but don't give into what-if's, innuendo, and flights of fancy.
7. Stay Away From The Media. Stop reading newspapers, watching TV news, and surfing news sites. Let's be honest — the only reason why they are still in business is because they sensationalize and titillate to get your attention and spread fear, doubt and uncertainty.
8. Keep Your Options Open. Always have a "Plan B" waiting in the wings — it might be a number of key contacts, a position that is waiting for you, a company that is just starting out. If you don't have that, go back to #5.
9. Focus On The Positive. Be enthusiastic, motivational, and a force for change at your company. Come up with new ideas, new processes, new efficiencies and present them to anyone who will hear.
10. Worrying Never Helped Anyone. Spend your time building your strengths, developing solid connections in and out of your company, and plan for the future of your career.

Don't waste time worrying — you have a LOT to do . . . So start TODAY!

P.S. If you would like to read a great book on this topic — this is the one! It's the bible and it's helped me many times.

Change Is Like A Locomotive Rocketing Down The Tracks.

Some sage advice from Peter Drucker: "Everybody has accepted by now that change is unavoidable.

But that still implies that change is like death and taxes — it should be postponed as long as possible and no change would be vastly preferable.

But in a period of upheaval, such as the one we are living in, change is the norm."

3 Ways To Successfully Attain Any Goal In Life.

You have grand designs on your future - unfortunately, you never meet your personal or professional goals. Why does that happen? It comes down to three areas - SRS or Simple — Realistic — Steps (not five, as in SMART, or seven as in SMARTER - let's keep it simple!).

What do I mean?

1. Simple - Keep your dreams simple. Don't make them too complex. If you do, you'll find you will be spending more time deciphering what to do next and questioning if you did it to completion. Simplicity is key. Also break out the goal into smaller, more attainable goals (see #3).

2. Realistic - Be honest to yourself and pick those goals that you can actually achieve. So many people go off half-cocked and attempt something grandiose or unattainable by any measure and then find themselves cashing in again on a failed project, initiative, or life goal. Then they get frustrated and angry. And they never try anything again.

3. Steps - Chunk out each goal into simple and realistic tasks or activities. In addition, look at your goal, if it is too big or unwieldy, break it up into manageable steps. An example might be, "I want to own a BMW Z4 sports car". Normal steps might be save money, research best way to purchase, buy car. A better way to break up your steps would be to have three segmented goals (with sub-goals) that build up to your main goal, ownership of the Z4:

• Finance - a. Ensure constant stream of revenue to pay all bills and have extra left over. b. Investigate a general financial goal for the Z4. c. Develop a time/payment schedule to save. d. Ensure that no unplanned emergencies arise to deplete the Z4 funding machine. e. Find a profitable 'holding area' for the funds saved that will deliver the best interest. f. Ensure your credit score remains high to garner the best interest rate deal. g. Set up goal markers to check off during this process.
• Research - a. Why do you want a Z4? b. Investigate alternatives to the Z4 - cheaper, better, other brands. c. What are the best dealerships? d. Who are the best salespeople that can educate you on the Z4 and get you the best price? e. How much will insurance be? f. What is the resale value? g. Lease or buy? h. Return policies? Warranties? i. Set up goal markers to check off during this process.
• Purchase - a. When are the Finance and Research steps complete? b. Initiate the finance process. c. Plan for any hiccups in the process. d. Sell your current car. e. Make a list of items to check when you sign the papers and pick up the car. f. Set up goal markers to check off during this process.

This is an over-simplified example to show how you can chunk out each step to cover any issue or problem that might arise, but also to move you forward during the process, making each step simple, manageable and motivational, ensuring your success.