[CREATIVE CAREERS UNLEASHED] Hitting A Moving Target http://ezezine.com In this issue: how to make a success of your creative career when it’s a moving target. CREATIVE CAREERS UNLEASHED! From Turning Point Strategies and Lyle T. Lachmuth I’d like to grow my subscriber list, so please FORWARD Creative Careers Unleashed to any and all creative, eclectic, unconventional, &/or multitalented professionals in your network. You'll find links to join and leave at the very end of this newsletter. HITTING A MOVING TARGET I’m just back from a brief vacation in the Canadian Rockies. A chance to rest, relax, exercise a bit, eat great food, and read. The chalet unit I stayed in had left-behind books perched on the mantel of the gas fireplace. I ignored the Romance novel, conveniently left behind and autographed by its author, and grabbed the thriller: “The Rules of Silence” by David Lindsey. The story grabbed me from the first chapter and never let go. It is the story of a multimillionaire entrepreneur whose life is turned upside down when he is kidnapped and held for ransom by a terrorist. Through his corporate network our protagonist manages to luckily (ah if only life were this easy) track down an expert in counter-terrorism who (q’elle surprise!) just happens to know the MO of this particular terrorist. (I told you it was a novel!) Anyway the plan to foil the terrorist is crafted. As the plan is about to be launched the counter-terrorism expert said something like this, “That’s the plan. But, this is a complex piece of business. As it rolls out it’s really a moving target. We’ll just have to adjust as we go.” And, as I read that phrase it struck me that one of the challenges of developing any career, BUT particularly a creative career, is that it is a MOVING TARGET! So, how do you hit a moving target? =========================================================== HOT LINKS Are you having trouble clearly describing your Career Dream? See my Blog post “Why Creative Careers Become Nightmares” http://snipurl.com/nmsj-ltl for reasons why Creatives have so much trouble and what you can do about it. ========================================================== HITTING A MOVING TARGET Let’s address the first reality. In order to hit a target you need to HAVE a target. You start with. . . PHASE ONE: DREAM Why phase? Because: a) Careers, especially creative ones, aren’t linear, so they don’t happen in STEPS and can’t be executed in steps and b) a bunch of tasks, actions, and other ‘stuff’ all form part of each PHASE of the Creative Career Development process. So, pick a Target. What’s a Target? It’s a Destination. A Desire. A Goal. A way you want to Feel. Something you yearn to Do. What you want to Contribute. In short, it’s a Dream. Ideally, you will pick a Target that you know IS your Dream – or Dreams. But, if you’re having trouble describing your Dream check my Blog post for ideas (see Hot Links). PHASE TWO: PLAN What’s a plan? Among other things, Dictionary.com defines plan as follows: - scheme, program, or method worked out beforehand for the accomplishment of an objective: e.g. a plan of attack. - A proposed or tentative project or course of action: e.g. had no plans for the evening. - A systematic arrangement of elements or important parts; a configuration or outline: e.g. a seating plan; the plan of a story. Quite simply, the Plan phase of Developing a Creative Career is about stringing together a set of proposed actions (steps if you insist) or tasks that you BELIEVE, or maybe just hope, will move you toward your dream. It’s the road or path you think has the best chance of getting you where you want to go. It doesn’t have to be exotic. You don’t have to have Gantt charts, milestones, or use MS-Project. You just have to have a decent idea of the ‘steps’ you want to take and the proposed order you want to take them in. Next. . . ============================================================ DON’T MISS THE APRIL ISSUE!! I am in the process of switching to a different provider/distributor for this newsletter. Thanks to those who already switched! But, for those who haven’t PLEASE ACT BEFORE APRIL 1st!!! I will need you to rejoin and resubscribe. When you do this the process ensures you have the choice and control and protects you from SP*M. I want to offer you an incentive to rejoin. When you rejoin, I will send you a link where you can download a F-R-E-E copy of my recent teleclass, “Self Publishing 101: From Inspiration to International Bestseller.” I do hope you will rejoin. CLICK here ccu-ezine@aweber.com and send a BLANK e-mail and You’ll need to re-enter your information and then you’ll get the link to your F-R-E-E audio. ========================================================== HITTING A MOVING TARGET This is where life gets interesting! Remember that plan. Well, like the character in the novel said, “It’s a moving Target.” And, movement starts to happen as soon as you dive into . . . PHASE 3: ACT Just as soon as you begin to act on your plan – whether it’s sketchy or excruciatingly detailed – things will change! Guaranteed!! Goethe said it best: “As soon as one acts all manner of things happen which one did not foresee. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it, boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.” This phase is about getting off your ass-ets! And, doing something. Acting. Moving. Doing. As Tony Robbins say, “Motion creates emotion!” Even if it’s just baby steps. That’s why your Dream becomes a moving target. As you act on your plans, you simultaneously EVALUTATE (PHASE 4) and LEARN (PHASE 5). Let’s look briefly at the next two phases and then I’ll wrap up by talking about those Hitting The Moving Target Strategies. PHASE 4: EVALUATE Though presented as a separate phase, the EVALUATE phase ought in reality to be occurring simultaneously to ACTion. Notice what happens when you act. What works? What doesn’t? What shows up unrepentantly? What doesn’t show up? What barriers do you hit? Note these so you can . . . PHASE 5: LEARN LEARNing needs to occur continuously. Take the information you gather and make sense of it. Analyze it. Ponder it. What’s it telling you? About you and what your were called to do? Remember to that LEARNing is not just about gathering information. It’s about changing your behaviour based on that information. So, LEARN and then ACT differently. HITTING A MOVING TARGET strategies in a moment. =========================================================== ARE YOU STUCK, LOST, or CONFUSED ABOUT YOUR CAREER? Here’s what one client told me recently: “I’m so excited to see my new CD coming out. You know I would never have been here if it hadn’t been for you. I would never have gotten off my butt and done the necessary work to make this happen. Even though it’s what I always dreamed.” What about you? Are you sitting on your ass-ets waiting for your new life to just show up? It won’t. Well, actually life will show up. It just might not be what you want! But, with a little help from a supportive, expert coach -- who’s been there and learned the secrets -- you can create the career and life of your dreams. If you are blocked and yeaning to live the life of your dreams, I would love to help YOU. CLICK here mailto:LyleTLachmuth@Gmail.com?Subject=IWantMyDreams And I will contact you to set up a F-R-E-E consultation to show you how to Get and Keep The Life You Want. ========================================================== HITTING A MOVING TARGET So, how DO you deal with a career that’s a moving target? Here are 3 strategies from my upcoming e-book. #1 ACCEPT THAT YOUR CAREER IS A MOVING TARGET Acceptance is the key to making change easier. As the Borg said, “Resistance is futile!” Recognize that you really don’t know it all – even, and perhaps especially, when it comes to what you want to do with your life. We grow. We evolve. We, even god forbid, change: our minds and what we want out of life. Knowing that your career is a moving target allows you to let go of preconceived notions, to relax, and to “go with the flow”. #2 PAY ATTENTION I’ve learned that the key to getting closer to what I want is to pay attention to what – and who – shows up in my life. Often, these messages from God, the Universe, wherever show up in clumps of 3. That’s why I love the number 3. When I hear something 3 times I know it’s time to pay even closer attention. I’m being told something important. Pay attention to: what others say, especially when you didn’t ask for their input. What do readers of your e-zine or articles tell you about what they like about you? What do client spontaneously tell you? What grabs your eye: in magazines, on billboards, in Blogs, anywhere and everywhere? What catches your eye is what interests you and what interest you is a key factor in what will make a great career for you. #3 GO WITH THE FLOW Way back in 1999 I did a book review of a less than mainstream book called, “The Paradoxical Self: Toward an Understanding of Our Contradictory Nature” by Kirk Schneider, an Existential theorist and therapist. Prior to reading the book I had called my coaching style “FOCUS Coaching”. After reading the book I understood that you and I really need to find a way to move between FOCUS and FLOW. So, find a dream. FOCUS on it. Let go and FLOW. See where the River of Life takes you – and, your career. Now, let me warn you. This sounds easy. But, you may not find it isn’t so. If so, I’m happy to help you unstuck, untangle, and get going. Just send an e-mail. NEXT ISSUE REMEMBER: Please do sign up on the new list service. I’d love for you to stay with me!! Send a Blank e-mail to ccu-ezine@aweber.com and look forward to being asked to confirm your subscription. Once that’s done, you’ll receive an e-mail containing your complimentary link to the Self-Publishing audio and access to future issues of Creative Careers Unleashed. What’s not to like about that? Until next time, Lyle Lachmuth MSOD, CDP, CRT(Hons) The Unsticking Coach™ Your Talents > Your Career >> Your Life >>> Your Way!™ Turning Point Strategies Box 72140 RPO Glenmore Landing | Calgary, AB CANADA T2V 5H9 T: 403-390-4768 | E: LyleTLachmuth [at] Gmail.com ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER PRIVACY POLICY: I will not rent, trade, or sell your name and contact information to anyone, at any time, for any reason! CAVEAT: CREATIVE CAREERS UNLEASHED and its publisher, are not engaged in providing therapy. This newsletter is provided for informational purposes only. CREATIVE CAREERS UNLEASHED may be reproduced and distributed in its entirety only, including copyright, legal, and contact information only with live links intact. Copyright 2006 Turning Point Strategies and Lyle T. Lachmuth