live
life on purpose
work at what you love
follow your own road
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Issue 192 |
September 18, 2008 | |
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Think
not of yourself as the architect of your career but as the sculptor. Expect
to have to do a lot of hard hammering and chiseling and scraping and
polishing. ~ BC Forbes
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Opportunity Knocks:
Creative Ways to Make a Living Without A Job
Profit from
Experience: The Key to Your Right Livelihood May Be Right in Your Own Backyard
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Valerie and her rescue dog,
"Cokie Roberts" |
By Valerie Young
We all know the story of Dorothy in the Wizard
of Oz. Swept away to the enchanting but forbidding Land of Oz by a tornado,
Dorothy endures all manner of challenges in an attempt to achieve her one and
only dream of returning home to her family in Kansas. It is not until the end of
her frightfully wondrous journey that Dorothy has an epiphany. "…if I ever go
looking for my heart's desire again," she tells Glenda, the Good Witch of the
North, "I won't look any further than my own backyard." More often than not, it's
the same way with career options.
Too many people either fail to see -- or outright
dismiss -- how the personal experiences in their own "backyard" are ripe with
possibilities for income streams or indeed complete careers. Every small
business I ever had originated from some event, realization, or challenge I'd
personally experienced.
In the early 80s, I took a course at
the University of Massachusetts called Dynamics of White Racism with a dynamic
and utterly passionate doctoral student named Judith Katz. To say the
course had a profound effect on my world view would be a gross understatement.
So much so that I didn't just want to study with Judy Katz -- I wanted to BE Judy
Katz. (If you're interested in the field of diversity training you can read an
interview with Judith at
DTUI.com/awards.html).
That single course also set me on my future career direction.
A senior at the time, I went on to enroll in the
same graduate school Judy was just getting ready to graduate from. A few years
later, I was the founding coordinator of what is now the Social Justice program
there. I paid my way through school as a self-employed facilitator conducting
training programs on racial awareness and diversity for resident assistants
(dorm counselors) at colleges and universities around the country.
When it comes to actually applying your experience
to your work, who you are - your personality, your temperament, your skills -
are as important as the thing you love to do. In this case, the key to my
success as a speaker standing up in front of audiences as large as 400 to 1200
people about potentially loaded "isms" was my sense of humor. I used it to
effectively diffuse tension, minimize unproductive guilt, and get everyone -
regardless of race, gender, religion, physical ability or sexual orientation -
to take the issues seriously and yet also learn by laughing at themselves.
I loved being a graduate student. The hours were
pretty flexible and although I had assignments to complete, in a lot of ways I
was my own boss. Things were going pretty well… that is until it came time to
actually hunker down and write a 200-plus page dissertation. That's when the
self-doubt, procrastination, and intense feelings
of intellectual fraudulence set in. It's also when I stumbled upon a study in a
psychological journal on the so-called Impostor Phenomenon by Dr. Pauline Clance and Dr. Suzanne Imes.
No one could have felt like more of a fraud then I
did. I mean who was I kidding? I was this 24-year old, working class, first
generation college kid -- and the only one to go on to graduate school -- in a
doctoral program with all these mature, much smarter, and far more worldly
professionals. I mean, who did I think I was? I'm still not sure how I managed
to slip through the admissions process undetected. But there I was. So rather
than waste three years of course work, I realized I'd better finish what I'd
started and get out before I was discovered.
That's when it hit me. If I have to write the
darned dissertation anyway, why not focus my own research on understanding
perfectionism, fear of failure, ambivalence about success, chronic self-doubt
and other self-limiting patterns and philosophies that seem to plague so many
women and quite a few men?
Studying the thing that was the most troublesome
to me at the time was what helped me work through it. The writing part proved to
be every much the ordeal I knew it would be, but at least I knew I'd have a
publishable document at the end. Researching achievement blocks and interviewing
other women from different fields and stages of their careers help me to lower
my own internal yardstick to a far more attainable human level. As exciting, I
like to think that the over 30,000 people -- men and women alike -- that have
attended my workshop on How to Feel as Bright and Capable as Everyone Seems to
Think You Are have benefited from my experience.
From here, my career took a detour that led me, at
age 30, to take my first real job-job. What a change from the comparatively
care-free life of a perpetual student. Talk about your rude awakening. You see,
my consultant friends at the time were pulling down the big bucks consulting to
corporations. Most of my clients, in contrast, were colleges or professional
women's organizations.
So I decided to take a job in the corporate
management development and training department at a Fortune 500 company so I
could 1) demystify the corporate world (that took about a week) and 2) earn my
corporate credentials to take with me when I returned to consulting. My plan was
to stay in the cube world for a year, two tops. After a year and a half, I
switched to a management job in strategic marketing and five years after that,
there I was -- well-paid but miserable.
When my mom passed away unexpectedly from a heart
attack at the too young age of 61, I realized life was too short to not work at
what you love. For the next year and a half, I spent just about every waking
hour of my personal life plotting my exit strategy. Little did I know at the
time that I would go on to take everything I was learning about finding your
calling, about the beauty of multiple income streams, and what it takes to
change course and turn it into my vocation.
There are lots of ways to use your own personal
experiences, and the unique insights and lessons learned along the way, to guide
you onto a new career path. Take some time to reflect on your own life and think about
how you, too, might profit from experience.
Add Your Two Cents
Want to comment on this
article?
Click here to hop over to the Changing Course Blog!
About the Author
"Profiting From Your Passions" expert Valerie Young abandoned her corporate cubicle to become the Dreamer in Residence at ChangingCourse.com offering resources to help you discover your life mission and live it. Her career change tips have been cited in Kiplinger's, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today Weekend, Woman's Day, and elsewhere and on-line at MSN, CareerBuilder, and iVillage.com. An expert on the Impostor Syndrome, Valerie has spoken on the topic of How to Feel as Bright and Capable as Everyone Seems to Think You Are to such diverse organizations as Daimler Chrysler, Bristol-Meyers Squibb, Harvard, and American Women in Radio and Television.
To read more
articles about how to work at what you love without a job go to
ChangingCourse.com/articles
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The
turning point, I think, was when I really realized that you can do it yourself.
That you have to believe in you because sometimes that's the only person that
does believe in your success. ~
Tim Blixseth |
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Featured Resource
What Every Woman (and Man)
Needs to Know About Competence, the
Impostor Syndrome,
and
the Art of Winging It
How to Feel As Bright and
Capable As Everyone Seems to Think You Are
Handbook and CD Combo
Have you
ever done a bang up job and while everyone is patting you on
the back, you hear yourself saying
-- “Phew, I was lucky this
time,” or
“Actually
it wasn't as good as it could have been.”
If you've ever felt
that your success is a fluke… if at any moment you'll be uncovered
for a fraud, join the club. Valerie is one of millions who has
experienced these feelings. Is it insecurity? Lack of confidence?
No. It's called the Impostor Syndrome…
At workshops
across the country, Valerie has helped more than 30,000 people
overcome the anxiety to embrace all of their accomplishments and
truly enjoy them. Now she's distilled her
life-changing workshop down into a program that can help everyone
who's ever doubted their competence…
You'll discover how to
own your successes and build on them… erase the stress of taking
risks… stop beating yourself up over every little mistake … and
finally see yourself as the bright, capable person you really
are!
Learn more at
ImpostorSyndrome.com/handbook.htm
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Believe in yourself and there will come a day when others will have no
choice but to believe with you. ~
Cynthia Kersey
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I couldn't wait for success, so I went ahead
without it. ~ Jonathan Winters
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Be a Part of Valerie's New
Book
Impostors, Fakes &
Frauds!
Do you dismiss your accomplishments as a
“fluke” or “no big deal”? Are you crushed by even constructive criticism?
Do you feel like you've “fooled” others into thinking that you're more
intelligent than you “know yourself to be.” If so, join the club!
Question of the Week
People who identify with impostor
feelings live in fear of being "found out."
What about you... Have you ever had an
"unmasking" dream? When do you most fear being "found out?" What do
imagine will happen when they do?
Please
include as much information as you feel comfortable sharing -- first
name, current occupation, age, racial/ethnic background,
state/province/country. Share as much or as little as you like. No
matter what you share, I think just reading other people's stories will be
enlightening to all.
Read more
about the belief that you are just fooling people into thinking you are
more intelligent and capable than you "know" yourself to be and share
your own fears and unmasking fantasies at the
Impostor Syndrome blog!
Thank
you in advance for your input and support. I couldn't do this without
you!
Share Your Response
Click here to
share your answer to this Question of the Week
Valerie Young
Recovering Impostor
ImpostorSyndrome.com
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Confidence is a habit that can be developed
by acting as if you already had the confidence you desire to have.
~ Brian Tracy
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Guest
Article
Create Your
Perfect Day
By Rachelle
Disbennett-Lee
When you know exactly what
you want, it is very easy to create. It is impossible to
create what you cannot clearly see. You create what you
want by your thoughts. Thoughts are things. By getting
very clear about what you want in your life you will
attract it to you.
A year before I left my corporate
job I sat down and created a job description for myself.
The description outlined in detail the job I wanted, who
I would work with, the office I would have and how much
money I would make. I was specific and left nothing out.
After I had been coaching for a while I came across the
job description and was amazed. I was doing exactly what
I had outlined in my job description, including having
an office with a view of the mountains.
According to Divine Magic, a book
revised and edited by Dorren Virtue, Ph.D., "You create
your own universe." The Power of a Single Thought says,
"You may not like the current condition of your life,
but it will quickly change if you strive to achieve your
ideals." There is a great quote by William James in the
book by Wayne Dyer, Wisdom of the Ages. James contends
that "There is a law in psychology that if you form a
picture in your mind of what you would like to be, and
you keep and hold that picture there long enough, you
will soon become exactly as you have been thinking."
According to Jack Canfield in the Success Principles,
"When you give your brain specific, colorful, and
vividly compelling pictures to manifest, it will seek
out and capture all the information necessary to bring
that picture into reality for you."
Before you can live your perfect
day, you need to know what it would be like. What would
you be doing? Who would you be with and where would you
be? You have to be very specific and detailed. Once you
become clear on all the details you then create an
opportunity for your perfect day to become a reality.
If you can't believe this
really works, I understand. Sounds a bit out there. I
have proof, though, that it works, and it is working in
your life right now. Take a moment and think about the
thoughts you have about your job, the people you work
with, your current situation, and your day in general.
If your thoughts are about how you dislike your job,
about how hard it is, how much you struggle, that you
just do it to put food on the table, the people you work
with are horrible, you don't make enough money and each
day is a challenge to make it through, my guess is you
are right. Whatever you are thinking about your day,
that is what your day is like, right? I wake up every
day thankful that I have the best job in the world, and
you know what, I do.
About the Author
Coach Rachelle Disbennett-Lee, PhD
provides daily motivation, information and inspiration to thousands of busy
people who want to stay focused and on track to their goals through her award
winning e-zine 365 Days of Coaching. For a free report, "The Power of Daily
Action - How to create more Wealth, Health and Happiness by Tapping Into the
Power of Daily Action" go to
365daysofcoaching.com/daily_action.htm
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If you are on the road to nowhere, find
another road. ~ Ashanti proverb
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Upcoming Workshops and Teleclasses
Turning Your Interests into
Income:
The Opportunity Hour Teleclass With
"Opportunity Analyst" Valerie Young
There
really is no shortage of creative ways to get paid to do work you truly love.
The problem is most people don't know how to profit from their passions.
Viable and
fascinating business ideas are literally all around you. You just need to
know where to look!
Listen in
as serial "Opportunity Analyst" Valerie Young delves into her vast
Opportunity Files to reveal some fascinating ways that regular people -- just
like you -- have turned their interests into income!
You don't
even need a lot of money. All it takes is a little creative thinking, which
is a good thing because Real Success Without a Real Job
author Ernie Zelinski calls creative thinking "the poor man's
wealth." Ernie was spot on when he said, "There is nothing quite as
exhilarating as coming up with a brilliant idea, putting it to good use, and eventually being rewarded
handsomely for my efforts by the marketplace."
So join a
community of dreamers and dream doers for an exhilarating hour of creative
thinking, opportunity angling, and possibility-provoking fun! The rewards
could be enormous!
Do you have ideas ideas
or interests but you're just not sure if and how you can turn them into
income? Post your ideas at
Fast
Track Headquarters on the Q & A Discussion Forum and they could be
selected for the Hot Seat at the next Opportunity Hour Teleclass!
Tuesday, September 23
10:00-11:00 a.m. Eastern Time
Free for Fast Track Members*
$19.00 for Non Members**
Click Here to Register |
Tuesday, October 14
7:30-8:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Free
for Fast Track Members*
$19.00 for Non Members**
Click Here to Register |
*This
series is free to current members of the
Fast Track Your Dream
Community.
**100 percent of Non-Members registration fees go to the non-profit
micro-grant organization
TrickleUp.org**
Crossroads in Personal History Conference
The Association of Personal
Historians will be holding
their 2008 conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, the historic
Crossroads of the West, site of the 2002 Winter Olympic
Games, and the home to the world's largest family history
library.
This
year's theme, Crossroads in Personal History, was inspired by Robert
Frost's poem, The Road Not Taken, about life's pivotal decisions. Keynote
speakers, workshops, and conference activities will explore four intriguing
areas of interest in support of this theme:
Salt Lake City, Utah
October 29 - November 2, 2008
Click
Here to Learn More
Mega Speaking Empire 2008
Over the past 30 years, Mark Victor Hansen has built an international speaking
career and information marketing business, allowing him to speak to millions of
people on nearly every continent on Earth.
He's worked with the industry's most respected and successful speakers,
strategists,
coaches and marketing mavens including:
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acclaimed marine life artist and conservation
advocate Wyland
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top speaker and best-selling author Denis
Waitley
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motivational speaker and best selling author
Dr. Barbara De Angelis
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master coach and financial strategist Loral
Langemeier
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and many more...
And he's hand-selected the best of them to join him on the faculty of Mega
Speaking Empire 2008.
You'll get a comprehensive education on what it takes to become a speaking
superstar - with the income and success to prove it.
Mega
Speaking Empire 2008
November 7th, 8th, and 9th, 2008
Los Angeles, California
Click to Learn More
Shanghai Photography Expedition
Join
professional photographer Shelly Perry on American Writer's
and Artists Institute's first-ever trip to China… And find
out just how easy it is to turn your snapshots into cash - and
enjoy the fun, freedom, independence, and travel
opportunities that freelance and stock photography deliver.
You'll…
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Have
fun exploring one of the fastest-changing cities in the
world - while you get hands-on practice applying new
photography skills…
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Experience Shanghai in the company of like-minded
travelers without worrying about whether or not you
speak the language or know the city…
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Learn from a professional photographer the best
techniques for shooting pictures that sell for $50,
$150, $250 - and even higher…
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Return home with the most amazing pictures to hang on
your wall and show your friends…
Shanghai, China
October 23 - 28, 2008
Seats are
limited. Go here for more details:
ChangingCourse.com/recommends/shanghaiphotography
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You don't get to
choose how you're going to die, or when. You can only decide how you're going to
live. Now. ~ Joan Baez |
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The View From
the
Other Side
"If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much."
~ Jim Rohn, Author and motivational speaker
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Resources for
a Change
Direct Sales Professionals
Carrie Wilkerson, The
Barefoot Executive, has opened a special Barefoot Boot Camp just for direct
sales professionals. In this unique training program, Carrie will guide you
through 6 weeks of coaching that will explode your sales, skyrocket your
recruiting, and strengthen your team-building skills. Find out about the special
Early Bird Enlistment Bonus (that ends on Friday, September 19th) by going to:
ChangingCourse.com/recommends/barefootcamp
Aspiring Artists and Craftspeople
Have you ever noticed how many gems there are right in your own
backyard? I'd heard of Snow Farm but never really appreciated all they
had to offer until I happened upon an article in Delta airline's Sky
magazine. Snow Farm is set on 50 acres in scenic Williamsburg,
Massachusetts about 12 miles from my house.
Snow Farm offers intensive weekends and week long classes in such areas
as glass blowing, glass bead making, ceramic tile, wood turning,
photography, painting, welded sculpture, just to name a few. Learn more
at
SnowFarm.org
The Home-Based Business Opportunity Site
features an extensive
article and resource library featuring articles on how to turn any hobby into a
part-time business, 29 ways to make money cooking or baking, starting your own
glass etching business, plus links to various courses and
eBooks on how to start specific businesses.
Home-Based-Business-Opportunities.com
Note: Changing Course does not accept
paid advertisements from any of the resources listed here. This list is
provided to expand your thinking about just how many interesting ways there
are to make a living without a job!
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Business
& Products Crossroads