[Think As Inc.] January 16, 2008 Newsletter http://ezezine.com Your life is a business. You have a: MISSION: the reasons you live your life; BRAND: the message you project to the world; PRODUCT LINE: the skills and qualities that are your unique assets; BOTTOM LINE: your financial picture; CLIENT BASE: professional, personal, and don’t forget, yourself. Your life is YOUR business, and you are its CEO. IN THIS ISSUE Something to Think About: THE POWER OF FLEXIBILITY Something to Do: END YOUR ANONYMITY Inspirational Quotes: Helen Keller News and Upcoming Events THE POWER OF FLEXIBILITY I always wanted four pillars in my life: family; the arts; career development work; and personal finance. Well, now I’m married with two kids and a large extended family. I sing and act, performing cabaret and improv around the city. I recruit, coach, teach and write around career issues. I have my investment portfolio. In a way, things turned out exactly as I planned. Except without any of my original plan: I always thought I’d get started on my recruiting and coaching career first, have a family when I got some management experience and could set my own schedule, start with acting and singing once I got business and family going, and then invest my by-now substantial savings in the market. Instead, I met my husband much earlier than planned and had my first kid when my career was just starting. A chance acting class prompted me to take a break from my career work way before reaching management ranks. An unexpected suggestion turned me onto real estate rather than the stock portfolio I envisaged. And my career development work includes starting my own firm, which I had never expected to do. So my four pillars are the same but the way I have gone about them is completely different. Follow-through is about discipline and sticking to a plan but it’s also about flexibility to adapt to conditions that are best for the ultimate goal. If I had stuck to my timeline rather than my end-goal of the four pillars, I would have been in a completely different situation. I would not have noticed the investment opportunity that was five years ahead of schedule. I would not have taken the class that was supposed to wait till I had built up the right financial cushion. As it turns out, my involvement in family and the arts transformed my recruiting and coaching work. At the same time, my business background informs my artistic pursuits. Staying faithful to the pillars and not just the plan enabled me to identify the right opportunities rather than wait for just the right time. If you find yourself in a rut but feel like you’re working hard towards your goal, step back and assess exactly what you are following through with. Are you following through with the plan or with the goal? The plan might be outdated or just wrong to begin with. If you are truly following through with your goals, you may need to continue with your existing plan, mix it up or take a break. Be flexible enough to choose your best option. END YOUR ANONYMITY I am successful because I was willing to give up being anonymous. – Sophia Loren So many clients I see toil in silence, expecting (or hoping) that their work speaks for itself and gets them noticed. However, it is up to you to be proactive about getting known: Do people in your department know who you are and the quality of your work? Do people two or more levels above you know you? Do you have solid contacts in other departments around your company? Do you have contacts outside of your company? Do recruiters call you? If you’re an entrepreneur, are you getting quoted in the media, referred by customers, or being sought out for joint ventures? You need to answer a resounding YES to the above questions. If not, figure out what you need to develop (presentation skills, a larger network) or what support you require (a public speaking course, a trade association membership) to market yourself more effectively. INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE Security is mostly a superstition….Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all. -- Helen Keller NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS I will be hosting the next SixFigureStart free teleclass. Wed, Jan. 30, 2007 at 9pm EST SIX STEPS TO A NEW JOB This class is an overview of a proactive job search from start to finish. What are the six steps of a comprehensive search? What are the three categories of candidates, and how do you know where you fit (and what to do about that)? What is a common mistake that many candidates make to blow the offer (usually right before the offer comes)? The 45-minute teleclass is free, but you may incur long-distance charges to access the conference phone line. Spots are limited. Please email info@sixfigurestart.com to reserve your place and receive the call-in details. I am performing improv with Magnet Theatre: Thursday, January 31, 7p The Magnet Theatre, 29th St between 7-8 Aves http://www.magnettheatre.com/ If you have friends who may want to join the distribution list, please have them visit http://home.ezezine.com/2034/ to sign up. You can also see previous newsletters at that link. All information is copyright © Caroline Ceniza-Levine 2008 www.thinkasinc.com