The New ABC’s of Success-in Life and Career
by Ernesto O. Cecilia, FPM

"The future ain’t what it used to be!" says Yogi Berra. Here are some of the new rules for success in today’s global economy. Obey them and success is yours. Disregard them and you’ll be consigned to limbo, if not oblivion.

The rules for successful lives and careers have been radically altered as globalization and information/communication technology have significantly changed the business of doing business. Here are some of the new rules for success. Obey them and success is yours-in life and career. Disregard them and you’ll be consigned to limbo, if not oblivion.

Avoid burnout. In the past, you had to work hard. Today, you have to work smart and maintain a good balance between professional and personal life.

Beware the boss who promises to build a bridge where there is no river. Don’t stick it out with a boss you can’t rely on. If you haven’t received the raise or promotion your boss promised you five years ago, maybe it’s time to find another boss.

Celebrate your victories. Set your goals and cut your journey to success into milestones. As soon as you reach one, celebrate your victory. By all means, work hard. But learn to play hard as well.

Develop your own value proposition. You and I are salesman. You must have a value proposition, an implicit promise of value to anybody you deal with-customer, employer, organization, etc. Then deliver on that promise.

Enjoy your work. All this time, we have been told and conditioned to work hard. I suggest that you look at your work as a source of joy and love. In fact, I urge you to love it-or leave it!

Find a need and fill it-before others do. If nobody needs your skills, products, or services, you’ll have very little chance of proving your worth. If you want to succeed, find a niche where you can be the best. Don’t just sit there; look for that need-before others do.

Get up when you get knocked down. We have been told to try and try until we succeed. Go ahead, try again, but try something else. What worked before may not work again for you. Don’t count on the same winning formulas or combinations that worked ages ago. Get up, get going, but get more new aces up your sleeve.

Have a fallback. Know how, when, and where to go when your situation becomes untenable. Being an excellent performer or working with a profitable organization is no longer a sure-fire guarantee of success. Thousands of great performers have lost their jobs, and hundreds of great companies have folded up as new rules emerge in life and careers. Innovate-or stagnate. Believe there is always a better way, and find it-before your boss does, or someone tells your boss about it. When the playing field is level in quality, speed, and cost, your competitive advantage will come from new and innovative products and services.

Join winners, not losers. If you are great and join a lousy organization, you’ll stand out. But you’ll soon find your greatness diminished immensely if you remain with that organization. If you hang around with successful and excellent people, their success and excellence will rub off on you in the long run. So join winners, not losers.

Keep your head on the cloud but your feet on the ground. New, innovative, and creative ideas make for success in any language. Make sure your feet are planted on the ground, even if your mind is up on the clouds.

Look beyond the classroom. Despite what the demagogues tell you, believe that there is education beyond the classroom-in fact real education takes place in the real world, not within the corners of the classroom.

Master the technology of business and the business of technology.> You need to know technology and how it can help make doing business or your job faster, better and more effective. If you think you can’t afford technology, I tell you that you can’t afford to be without technology.

Never depend on luck. What’s luck got to do with success? Tiger Woods, Wayne Gretzky, Efren "Bata" Reyes, Dodie Rondain (who he?) have a high batting average in golf, hockey, billiards, and the NLRC, respectively. They don’t rely on luck to win. Nothing beats preparedness.

Overcome the fear of failure. Many people never succeed because they never try. They never try because they fear they will not succeed. Successful men tried and failed countless times, like Thomas Alva Edison.

Perception is reality. What you are is important. What others think you are is sometimes even more important. That’s why successful people are so careful about creating the right perception about them. To others, especially the greater mass of humanity, perception is reality.

Quality does not happen by accident. If you want to succeed, never turn in shabby work, products, or services. Nobody buys poor quality anymore. There’s too much competition nowadays. That’s why people deliberately factor in quality in whatever they do. Do you?

Reason and intuition must work together. Logic alone will make this world dull. Intuition can spark creativity and innovation, but must stand the test of practicality. If you wish to succeed, work with reason and intuition. You’ll need both!

Success is a journey, not a destination. Define your goals, have clear standards, and make sure you achieve them. Success is like taking a very long train ride that stops at every way station. Savor the moment, and maybe the money, every time you reach a milestone. In a survey run by EC Business Solutions and Career Center, 95 percent of respondent managers and supervisors claim that they see themselves as successful.

Think lattice, not ladders. Career success today is no longer just moving up the ladder. Now, there are more lattices than ladders that allow you to gain greater success by moving sideways, not necessarily upwards.

Use other brains-if yours is not enough. Many successful people have not built empires by themselves alone. In fact, many don’t know how. They relied on the expertise of others to be successful in what they do.

Value your customers, and make them feel it. If you want to succeed, develop a maniacal focus on your customers. Understand, anticipate, and satisfy your customers’ needs, or others will.

Watch your back. As you shine, others are bound to envy you and wish that you had the lice in the armpits of a thousand camels. I had been in the lions’ den and had back pains from stab wounds. If you want to succeed, watch your back!

Extra mile gives you an extra push, too. Going the extra mile in whatever you do gives your customer, boss, or audience a better deal. It also develops in you the mindset of quality, excellence, and service. If you don’t have the time or inclination to go the extra mile, your customer, boss, or audience won’t.

You are responsible for your own future. Never abdicate the responsibility for your success to other people or institutions. Nobody is as interested as you are about your success. Nobody else should claim credit for your success, and you can’t blame anyone else for your failure.

Zeal and enthusiasm help create a positive impact. Most successful people have the energy, zeal, and enthusiasm that further enhance the positive impact that they create about their persona. Always make the greatest performance of your life every time you make a presentation, meet with your boss or clients. If you think and act like you are beaten, you are!

Overcoming the Fear of Change

You and I are lucky — we live in a world rich in possibilities. Besides being able to select from an unlimited variety of occupations, we also have the right to find happiness in our daily work.

Naturally, everyone has a different definition of job satisfaction. For example, the job that seems fine to you may not be of much interest your best friend, and vice versa.

The fact that you live in a free society gives you the privilege to decide your own fate. You have as much power in determining where you work as you do in selecting a spouse, a home, a car, or a pet. Your choice of jobs really depends on how much you want to shape your career, and how much effort you are willing to spend to make the necessary improvements in your life.

If you are considering a job change, it is probably for one of three reasons:

[1] Personal — You want to change your relationships with others. For example, you may have discovered that you are incompatible with the people in your company. Perhaps they have different interests than you; or they communicate differently or have different educational backgrounds.

[2] Professional – You have determined the need to advance your career. For example, you have found that you would not reach your professional or technical goals at your present company; or that your advancement is being blocked by someone who is more senior or more politically oriented; or that you are not getting the recognition you deserve; or that you and your company are growing in different directions; or that you are not being challenged technically; or you are not being given the skills you need to compete for employment in the future. Or you have simply lost interest in your assigned tasks.

[3] Situational — Your dissatisfaction has nothing to do with personal relationships or career development; it is tied to a certain set of circumstances. Maybe you are commuting too far from home each day, or you are working too many hours, or you are under too much stress; or you want to relocate to another city (or stay where you are rather than be transferred).

Whatever your personal, professional, or situational reasons may be, you are motivated by the desire to improve your level of job satisfaction and make a change.

The Complete Job Description

In order to translate your needs into results, let us begin by evaluating your present position – it is the first step in any job change.

You would be surprised how many people are unclear about what they actually do for a living, and the way their jobs make them feel.

For example, whenever I interview a candidate, the first thing I ask for is a complete job description.

"So tell me, Bonnie, " I begin. "What is it that you do at your present company?"

"Gee, Mark, I thought I told you already. I am a systems analyst."

"All right, fair enough," I reply. "But would you please describe to me in detail the following two things:

[1] What are your daily activities? That is, how do you spend your time during a typical day; and

[2] What are the measurable results your company expects from these activities? In other words, how does your supervisor know when you are doing a good job?"

Often, I discover that people are hard pressed to come up with solid answers about the specific nature of their work. They are not exactly sure about their job responsibilities, and their lack of focus results in stress or counter-productivity.

While a little bit of stress may is natural in any job, a steady diet of it can destroy your incentive to work. In fact, a recent study indicates a direct correlation between a person’s lack of task clarity and their level of job dissatisfaction.

Try this exercise: On a sheet of paper, write a complete, current job description in which you list your daily activities and their expected, measurable results. This exercise will not only help you clarify your own perception of your work; it will be useful later on when you begin to construct a resume and communicate to others exactly what you have done.

The Positive Power of Values

Once you have described all the facets of your job, the next step is to understand the relationship between what you do and the way you feel.

I use the term values as a descriptor of personal priorities; as a yardstick to help you:

• Understand what types of work-related activities you really enjoy;

• Determine which goals or accomplishments are important to you and give you a feeling of satisfaction; and

• Evaluate whether your personal priorities are in balance, or in harmony with your job situation.

Although it is fairly simple to decipher which daily tasks you really enjoy, the task of scrutinizing your personal priorities can be tricky. That is because there are often factors unrelated to your job that can come into play.

To demonstrate the importance of values in our decision-making process, consider the following:

• I witnessed a job seeker turn down a position because he was an amateur athlete and he did not like the air quality where my client company was located.

• Not long ago, I placed a candidate who was a long distance runner. He took the position largely because his new boss was also a runner, and would understand his need to take off work twice a year to run the New York City and Boston marathons.

• I arranged for an engineer to take a job with a company that offered him a demotion, since being highly visible within his current employer’s department made him feel uncomfortable.

The point is, we all have highly personal motivations, which guide our career choices.

The Job Description Makeover

Now that you know how to clearly define your values, the next step is to describe the changes you would like to make in your new job.

To illustrate, listen to the way Pat, Craig, and Neil talk about their respective situations, and how they take their values into consideration:

Pat: "I want to have more autonomy where I work. That would mean having a flexible schedule, working different hours each day at my discretion, without having to ask permission. I would be able to leave early on Thursdays to take my daughter to her acting class, and in return, I would be willing to spend several hours working at home during the evening and on weekends. With my personal computer, I would have access by modem to the database in my department, and I would be able to make a significant contribution to the workload, any time, day or night. Most importantly, I would be evaluated solely on my performance, not by the number of hours I have punched on a clock."

Craig: "I would prefer to work closer to my home. I did not think the amount of time I spent commuting was very important when I joined the company two years ago, but now it really wears on me to sit for an hour a day in traffic. It is not only nerve-wracking to deal with all the crazy people on the freeway; I could be using the commuting time to be with my family. The reduction of stress would improve my attitude, and give me a higher quality of life. If I could find a job similar to what I have now within a few minutes of home, that would make me happy."

Neil: "I am interested in my own career advancement. If I stay at this company too much longer, I will work myself into a corner technically and never achieve my potential. The people here are nice, but I do not share their ‘lifer’ mentality. Look at Ed, my boss. He has been here 17 years, and although he is a really solid engineer, he is not familiar with any of the latest advancements in technology. He would have a hard time finding another job in this market, and it makes me worried, knowing I might someday be in his situation. Besides, I would not be promoted until Ed retires. So I would better leave soon, while I am still attractive to other companies. That would give me the salary increase I deserve and the opportunity to learn new skills with people who are upwardly mobile and aggressive like myself."

Now it is your turn. As any advocate of goal setting will tell you, the more specifically you are able to communicate what you are looking for, the faster you will be able to get what you want.

Naturally, you will want to be realistic with your expectations, and think like a grown-up when considering your gripes. I will never forget Barry, an engineering candidate I interviewed a few years back, who came into my office with a suicidal look in his eyes.

"Mark, you have really got to help me," he moaned. "My job is ruining my life."

"Your situation sounds pretty serious," I replied in my most empathic tone. "How long have you felt this way?"

"Gosh, I do not know, but I have got to make a change. My personal life is awful."

"How do you mean, Barry?" I asked.

"I mean I am never at home, and do not have any time to spend with my wife and kids. My company makes me travel constantly."

"Well, I can see how that might make you feel torn between your work and your home life. What can I do to help you?"

"See if you can get me a job where I do not have to travel all the time. I just can not stand the separation from my family," he pleaded.

My heart went out to him. "Sure, Barry, anything to help. But first tell me something. Exactly how often is your company making you travel?"

"Oh, it is terrible," he cried. "They make me stay overnight in a hotel at least one night every three months!"

Your Job Changing Strategy

Someone recently asked me whether I helped people get "better" jobs or jobs that made them happier.

My answer was that the two were the same.

Of course, if you were to look at your career from a purely strategic point of view, I could give you four good reasons why it makes sense to change jobs within the same or similar industry three times during your first ten years of employment:

[1] Changing jobs gives you a broader base of experience: After about three years, you have learned most of what you are going to know about how to do your job. Therefore, over a ten-year period, you gain more experience from "three times 90 percent" than "one times 100 percent."

[2] A more varied background creates a greater demand for your skills: Depth of experience means you are more valuable to a larger number of employers. You are not only familiar with your current company’s product, service, procedures, quality programs, inventory system, and so forth; you bring with you the expertise you have gained from your prior employment with other companies.

[3] A job change results in an accelerated promotion cycle: Each time you make a change, you bump up a notch on the promotion ladder. You jump, for example, from project engineer to senior project engineer; or national sales manager to vice president of sales and marketing.

[4] More responsibility leads to greater earning power: A promotion is usually accompanied by a salary increase. And since you are being promoted faster, your salary grows at a quicker pace, sort of like compounding the interest you would earn on a certificate of deposit.

Many people view a job change as a way of promoting themselves to a better position. In most cases, I would agree.

However, you should always be sure your new job offers you the means to satisfy your values. While there is no denying the strategic virtues of selective job changing for the purpose of career leverage, you want to make sure the path you take will lead you where you really want to go.

For instance, I see no reason to make a job change for more money if it will make you unhappy to the point of distraction. Not long ago, I placed a project engineer with a company that offered him a $47,000 a year job. Later, he told me that the same day he agreed to go to work for my client, he would turned down an offer of $83,200 with another company. The reason? The higher offer was for a consulting position with an aerospace company in Detroit — a job that would have taken him down a road he felt was a dead end.

To me, the "best" job is one in which your values are being satisfied most effectively. If career growth and advancement are your primary goals, and they are represented by how much you earn, then the job that pays the most money is the "better" job.

Your responsibility when contemplating a change is to evaluate what is most important to you. Whether you focus on a single aspect of your job (like Pat, Craig, and Neil did), or on the overall nature of the job you would like to improve,

The more clearly you connect your values with your work, the greater the potential for job satisfaction.

What is Life Path Number? The Life Path is the sum of the birth date of an individual. This number represents who you are at birth and the native traits that you will carry with you through life. The Life Path describes the nature of this journey through life. How to find the Life Path Number? This is a number that is derived from all the numbers in your birth date. The Life Path number is established from the date of birth. First, convert the month to a single number, then add this individual digit, the birthday, and the individual digits of the birth year. The individual digits are again added together, as necessary to reduce the sum to a single digit 1 through 9, or to the numerology "master numbers," 11 or 22. These master numbers are not reduced any further. Example: Date of Birth: February 8, 1939 (2-8-1939). Add the month (2) to the day (8) plus the total of the digits in the year (22). The total comes to 32. Then add this number together. 3+2=5; the Life Path Number is 5.

Meaning of the numbers :-

1. Initiating action, pioneering, leading, independent, attaining, individual.

2. Cooperation, adaptability, consideration of others, partnering, mediating.

3. Expression, verbalization, socialization, the arts, the joy of living.

4. A foundation, order, service, struggle against limits, steady growth.

5. Expansiveness, visionary, adventure, the constructive use of freedom.

6. Responsibility, protection, nurturing, community, balance, sympathy.

7. Analysis, understanding, knowledge, awareness, studious, meditating.

8. Practical endeavors, status oriented, power-seeking, high-material goals.

9. Humanitarian, giving nature, selflessness, obligations, creative expression.

No: 1 The Life Path 1 drive in this life is characterized by individualist desires, independence, and the need for personal attainment. The purpose to be fulfilled on this Life Path is that of becoming independent. This is a two part learning process; first, you must learn to stand on your own two feet and learn not to depend on others. After you are indeed free and independent, you must learn to be a leader. Many of our Generals, corporate leaders, and political leaders are men and women having the Life Path number 1. The 1 always has the potential for greatness as a leader, but they may fail as a follower. Many 1’s spend most of their lives shaking off their dependent side. When this happens, there is little time left for enjoying the rewards to be gained through independence. The individual with Life Path 1 has to overcome an environment in which it is very easy to be dependent, and difficult to be independent. Positive Traits : A person with positive 1 traits abounds in creative inspiration, and possesses the enthusiasm and drive to accomplish a great deal. Your drive and potential for action comes directly from the enormous depth of strength you have. This is both the physical and inner varieties of strength. With this strength comes utter determination and the capability to lead. As a natural leader you have a flair for taking charge of any situation. Highly original, you may have talents as an inventor or innovator of some sort. In any work that you choose, your independent attitude can show through. You have very strong personal needs and desires, and you feel it is always necessary to follow your own convictions. You are ambitious, and either understand or must learn the need for aggressive action to promote yourself. Although you may hide the fact for social reasons, you are highly self-centered and demand to have your way in most circumstances. Negative Traits : When the 1 Life Path person is not fully developed and expressing the negative side of this number, the demeanor may appear very dependent rather than independent. If you are expressing this negative trait of the number 1, you are likely to be very dissatisfied with your circumstances, and long for self-sufficiency. This is defined as the weak or dependent side of the negative 1 Life Path. On the strong side of this negative curve, the 1 energy can become too self-serving, selfish and egotistical. Over-confidence and impatience mark this individual. Top

No: 2 In many ways, you are a creature of habit and routine, and you like to your path and pattern well worn and familiar. A natural collector, you rarely dispose of anything that may have a shred of value.The positive attributes of the number 2 Life Path produces extremely sensitive people who generally have the most delicate ability to be balanced and fair. You clearly see the full spectrum of viewpoints in any argument or situation, and because of this people may seek you out to be a mediator. In this role you are able to settle disputes with the most unbiased flair. There is sincere concern for others; you think the best of people, and want the best for them. Positive Traits : You are totally honest and open in thought, word and deed. You are apt to excel in any for of group activity where your expertise in handling and blending people can be used effectively. Manners and tact mark your way with others at all times, and you are not one to dominate a group or situation. You are the master of compromise and of maintaining harmony in your environment, never stooping to aggravate or argue. Negative Traits : The negative side of the 2 is hardly a problem. The biggest obstacle and difficulty you may face is that of passivity and a state of apathy and lethargy. The negative 2 can be very pessimistic and accomplishes very little. Needless to say, the negative 2 doesn’t belong in the business world and even the more positive individual with the 2 Life Path may prefer a more amiable and less competitive environment. Top

No: 3 The number 3 Life Path is one that emphasizes expression, sociability, and creativity as the lesson to be learned in this life. Here we are apt to find the entertainers of the world, bright, effervescent, sparkling people with very optimistic attitudes. A truly gifted 3 possesses the most exceptional creative skills, normally in the verbal realm, writing, speaking, acting, or similar endeavors.Typically, the life path 3 gives an above-average ability in some art form. This can encompass painting, interior decorating, landscaping, crafts, writing, music, or the stage, or all of the above. You are apt to be a happy, inspired person, constantly seeking the stimuli of similar people. Your exuberant nature can take you far, especially if you are ever able to focus your energies and talents. Positive Traits : The bright side of this path stresses harmony, beauty and pleasures; of sharing your creative talents with the world. Capturing your capability in creative self-expression is the highest level of attainment for this life path. The characteristics of the 3 are warmth and friendliness, a good conversationalist, social and open. The approach to life tends to be exceedingly positive, however, and your disposition is almost surely sunny and open-hearted. You effectively cope with all of the many setbacks that occur in life and readily bounce back for more.You have good manners and seem to be very conscious of other people’s feelings and emotions. Life is generally lived to the fullest, often without much worry about tomorrow. You are not very good at handling money because of a general lack of concern about it. You spend it when you have it and don’t when you don’t. Negative Traits : On the negative side, a 3 may be so delighted with the joy of living that the life becomes frivolous and superficial. You may scatter your abilities and express little sense of purpose. The 3 can be an enigma, for no apparent reason you may become moody and tend to retreat. Escapist tendencies are not uncommon with the 3 life path, and you find it very hard to settle into one place or one position. Guard against being critical of others, impatient, intolerant, or overly optimistic. Top

No: 4 The Life Path 4 produces the most trustworthy, practical, and down-to-earth of individuals; the cornerstone members of society. The goal of this life path is learning to take orders and to carry them out with dedication and perseverance. You always demand as much from yourself as you do from others, and sometimes a lot more. You have the kind of will power that is often mistaken for sheer stubbornness. Once a decision is made, it will be followed through to the conclusion, right, wrong, or indifferent; you are very set in your ways and determined to handle things the way you are so certain that they should be handled. Your tenacity of purpose and ability to get the job done borders on obsession. Positive Traits : You are an excellent organizer and planner because of your innate ability to view things in a very common sense and practical way. You are a wonderful manager with a great sense of how to get the job done.Loyal and devoted, you make the best of your marriage, and you are a dependable business partner. Friends may be few in number, but you are very close to them and once friendships are made, they often last a lifetime. The number 4 is solidly associated with the element of earth from which it gains it strength and utter sense of reality. You are one of the most dependable people you know. If patience and determination can ever win, you are sure to achieve great success in life. Negative Traits : The negative side of the 4 can prove dogmatic to an excess, narrow-minded, and repressive. A lot of skin-deep people turn you off, and you lack the tact to keep your feelings from being totally clear to all around. Additionally, the negative 4 has a bad tendency to get too caught up in the daily routine of affairs and often misses the big picture and major opportunities that come along once in a while.

Top No: 5 A Life Path 5 person is usually very versatile, adventurous, and progressive. With a 5 life path, you are one of those people who is always striving to find answers to the many questions that life poses. You want to be totally unrestrained, as this is the sign of freedom and independence. You abhor routine and boring work, and you are not very good at staying with everyday tasks that must be finished on time. You are, however, a good communicator, and you know how to motivate people around you, perhaps inclining you to be a teacher of some sort. A love of adventure may dominate your life. This may take the form of mental or physical manifestation, but in either case, you thrill to the chance for exploration and blazing new trails. You are apt to be multi-talented, but just as likely to suffer from some lack of direction, and there is often some confusion surrounding your ambition. Positive Traits : The number 5 personality is rather happy-go-lucky; living for today, and not worrying too much about tomorrow. It is important for you to mix with people of a like mind, and try to avoid those that are too serious and demanding. It is also important for you to find a job that provides thought-provoking tasks rather than routine and redundant responsibilities. You do best dealing with people, but the important thing is that you have the freedom to express yourself at all times. You have an innate ability to think through complex matters and analyze them quickly, but then be off to something new. Negative Traits : In the most negative application or use of the 5 energies, you could become very irresponsible in tasks and decisions concerning your home and business life. The total pursuit of sensation and adventure can result in your becoming self-indulgent and totally unaware of the feelings of those around you. In the worse case situations negative 5’s are very undependable and self-serving.

Top No: 6 The Life Path 6 indicates that very prominent in your nature is a strong sense of responsibility. You are idealistic and must feel useful to be happy. The main contribution you make is that of advice, service and ever present support. This is the Life Path related to leadership by example and assumption of responsibility, thus, it is your obligation to pick up the burden and always be ready to help. The Life Path 6 is one who is compelled to function with strength and compassion, a sympathetic and kind person, generous with personal and material resources. Wisdom, balance, and understanding are the cornerstones of this Life Path. Your extraordinary wisdom and the ability to understand the problems of others is apt to commence from an early age allowing you to easily span the generation gap and assume an important role in life early on. While the 6 may assume huge responsibilities in the community, the life revolves around the immediate home and family, for this is the most domestic of numbers. Positive Traits : Most with Life Path 6 are the positive types who willingly carry far more than their fair share of the load and are always there when needed. You are very human and realistic about life, and you feel that the most important thing in your life is the home, family and friends. Negative Traits : Avoid a tendency to become overwhelmed by responsibilities and a slave to others. The misuse of this Life Path produces tendencies towards exaggeration, over-expansiveness, and self-righteousness. Imposing one’s views in an interfering or meddling way must be an issue of concern. The natural burdens of this number are heavy, and on rare occasions, responsibility is abdicated by persons with this Life Path 6. This rejection of responsibility will make you feel very guilty and uneasy, and it will have very damaging effects upon your relationships with others.

No: 7 A Life Path 7 person is a peaceful and affectionate soul, and by nature rather reserved and analytical. The overwhelming strength of the number 7 is reflected in the depth of thinking that is shown. Intellectual, scientific and studious, you don’t accept a premise until you have dissected the subject and arrived at you own independent conclusion. This is a very spiritual number and it often denotes a sort of spiritual wisdom that becomes apparent at a fairly early age. Positive Traits : You are very thorough and complete in your work, the perfectionist who expects everyone else to be a meet a high standard of performance, too. You evaluate situations very quickly and with amazing accuracy. . You aren’t one to have a wide circle of friends, but once you accept someone as a friend, it’s for life. You really aren’t a very social person, and your reserve is often taken to be aloofness. Actually, it’s not that at all, but merely a cover up for your basic feeling of insecurity. You actually like being alone, away from the hustle and bustle of modern life. Negative Traits : In the most negative use of the 7 energies, you can become very pessimistic, lackadaisical, quarrelsome, and secretive. A Life Path 7 individual who is not living life fully and gaining through experiences, is a hard person to live with because of a serious lack of consideration and because there is such a negative attitude. The negative 7 is very selfish and spoiled. If you have any of the negative traits they are very difficult to get rid of because you tend to feel that the world really does owe you a living or in some way is not being fairly treated. Fortunately, the negative 7 is not the typical 7, at least not without some mitigating positive traits. This number is one that seems to have some major shifts from highs to lows. Stability in feelings may be elusive for you.

No: 8 With the Life Path of the number 8 you are focused on learning the satisfactions to be found in the material world. The Life Path 8 produces many powerful, confident and materially successful people. You are apt to be very independent, forceful and competitive. Your routine is involved in practical, down-to-earth affairs, and there is relatively little time for dreams and visions. You will want to use your ambitions, your organizational ability, and your efficient approach to carve a satisfying niche for yourself. Most of your concerns involve money and learning of the power that comes with its proper manipulation. This Life Path is perhaps the one that is the most concerned with and desirous of status, as an accompaniment to material success. Positve Traits : If you are a positive 8 you are endowed with tremendous potential for conceiving far-reaching schemes and ideas, and also possessing the tenacity and independence to follow them through to completion. In short, you are well-equipped for competition in the business world or in other competitive fields of endeavor. You know how to manage yourself and your environment. You are practical and steady in your pursuit of major objectives, and you have the courage of your convictions when it comes to taking the necessary chances to get ahead. Negative Traits : The negative 8 can be dictatorial and often suppresses the enthusiasm and efforts of fellow member of the environment. Often, the strength of their own personality excludes close feelings for other people with whom they come in contact. Material gains and rewards often become issues of utmost importance, even to the neglect of family, home and peace of mind. Dedication to success can become an obsession. Emotional feelings are often suppressed by the negative 8, resulting in isolation and loneliness. All Life Path 8 people must avoid discounting the opinions of others.

No: 9 The keys to the nature of a Life Path number 9 person are compassion, generosity, and a very humanitarian attitude.. Usually this number produces an individual that is very trustworthy and honorable. You tend to be quite sensitive, as you see the world with much feeling and compassion. The 9, being the highest of the single digit numbers, holds an elevated position and poses certain responsibilities. The purpose of life for those with a 9 life path is of a philosophical nature. Judges, spiritual leaders, healers and educators frequently have much 9 energy. Positive Traits : Material gains are not overly important, although the quality of some life path 9 people is such that they are materially rewarded in very significant ways. Often, the number 9 life path requires a very selfless attitude and the giving up of material possessions for the common good. Even the very average of those with life path 9 possess extremely compassionate tendencies. The desire to help others, especially the troubled or underprivileged, is strong. You are apt to frequently find yourself being used and let down by others, as your generosity is misused and abused.The number 9’s very deep understanding of life is sometimes manifested in the artistic and literary fields .You have the ability to make friends very easily, as people are attracted to your magnetic, open personality. Negative Traits : As do all the life path numbers, the 9 has its negative side, and because of the demanding nature of the truly positive 9, many tend to fail in this category. It is not uncommon for persons with the 9 life path to fight the realities and challenges of purpose imposed here because selflessness is not an easy trait. You may have difficulty believing that giving and a lack of personal ambition can be satisfying. It must be realized and accepted that little long-term satisfaction and happiness is to be gained by rejecting the natural humanitarian inclinations of this path.

No: 11 The number 11 Life Path has the connotation of illumination describing its general focus. This is the number associated with spiritual awareness. As one of the two master numbers, the 11 yields understanding and knowledge beyond the grasp of others. The attitude toward life of those possessing this Life Path is somewhat extreme; extremely intuitive, avant-garde, idealistic, visionary, and cultured. These extremes make you an interesting, if unusual person, with much to offer society. Positive Traits : The Life Path 11 person is deep-thinking, and you are no doubt interested in understanding many of life’s mysteries and more intriguing facets. Your inventive mind and broad-minded views will permit you to succeed in life in any number of ventures. You can best serve society, however, in those endeavors utilizing your skills of counseling and guidance. Much of your idealism is people oriented and quite humanitarian in nature. You expect a great deal of yourself and of those to whom you are close. Negative Traits : This is a Life Path that seems to feature broad mood swings between the elation and depression. You are likely to have trouble making decisions and getting your life in gear, so to speak. There is a tendency for the 11 to harbor feelings of uneasiness, and dissatisfaction with accomplishments and personal progress in life. Your grandiose schemes usually make sense, but you can get off the track and they can be very impractical. You have a very distinct side that lacks common sense, and you are quite often unable to distinguish between fantasy and reality. In this regard, you are perhaps more of a dreamer than a doer. When you do get on target, your ideas seem to have been inspired on high. Perhaps you are not a leader, but you are a visionary and a very talented idea person.

No: 22 The Life Path 22 is the higher of the two master number, and the most powerful of all the Life Path numbers. As such, it is also the most difficult to live up to and fulfill. The 22 individual in endowed with many powers from within and they can reach any heights in life. A truly positive Life Path 22 person, equipped with a suitable education, can be a master builder in society. An idealistic nature is grounded in practical terms, allowing you to conceive grandiose, far-reaching schemes and carry them through to the end. If you desire and are willing to work for it, you can achieve enormous success, prestige, and fame. Obviously, everyone with this Life Path does not become famous, but you may have realized early in life that you have the capacity to accomplish a great deal with relatively little effort. Positive Traits : Several Life Path number possess special spiritual understanding, however, the 22 is unique in that this path has great understanding, but also the ability to apply knowledge in a practical way. There is purpose to your life and you view your tasks and obligations in a very emotionally controlled and determined way. Negative Traits : Really negative 22 people are very rare. When they do show up, there power is similar to positive 22, but motivations are in a negative vein and they are very dictatorial, insensitive, and overbearing. The majority of 22 people fall into an average category who still have sufficient ability to reach great heights within their chosen fields. The ability to control emotion may help in the business world. This is a powerful Life Path, both for the material gain it can bring and for the higher good that is often achieved for mankind.

ape kebendanya nih? hehehe

Many people starting out work from home in the first instance. When the emphasis is on getting the work/balance right, possibly the greatest benefit is being able to achieve that balance - as well as earning a living - if you plan your time well.

Freelancers often start out working from home, for a variety of reasons. Some believe home will be a better working environment; others are going it alone to run a small lifestyle business. Other freelancers either work out of home to keep overheads as low as possible, dividing their time between the home office and the client’s site.

Here are a few recommendations for making the most of working from home:

1) Work space:

Make sure that you have a separate area for working. Install a separate phone line for business use. Ask the rest of your family to respect that you are trying to make some money while you are in the office. A separate area should be sacred so you can leave paperwork around without the dog dribbling on it and so you are still able to walk away at the end of the day and switch off. Some people have found this particularly hard. In an office environment you walk away and forget about it - at home there’s always the nagging temptation to do a little bit more before you go to bed. We therefore recommend that you get up and still "go to work" and walk away at the end of the day.

2) Get organized

Invest in filing and online organisation systems for your home office to help reduce time spent on admin. It will also feel more like an office and you are then less likely to drift into doing non-work tasks during your work hours.

3) Support network

As more and more people freelance and work from home it’s likely you’ll meet others in the same boat. Since you are now away from the office network you’re now missing those social perks, new contacts like these can be a good sounding board.

4) Working hours

Firstly work around the hours when you work best as far as possible. If you are more alert at night there is no point in starting at 7.30am! You will need to take into consideration when your clients need to be able to get hold of you. Make the most of the flexibility that you have and make sure you take breaks to keep yourself refreshed.

5) Time out

Those living and working on their own especially need to plan time away from the desk as contact by email and phone is a lonely experience. Ensure you break up the week with meetings or time spent at your clients’ sites, lunches, conferences etc. Do something at the end of each day that you associate with switching off. Go for a walk or read the paper to replace the drive home which used to be your switch off time for instance.

6) Work/Life balance

Make a list of everything that is important to you, from your goals, your family, friends, gym, walking the dog, etc in order of priority. Allocate time each week in line with that priority and stick to it.

7) Have a daily routine

Make a list of things that need to done every day from calling new prospects to having a cup of tea at 10.30 and answering emails. It will make sure you don’t overlook them. Minimise disruptions - don’t make a habit of doing non-work-related tasks during work hours, and don’t encourage friends to drop by on a regular basis during working hours.

Planning and lists

When you first start working from home it can be very difficult to stay motivated and focussed. Some tips: when you set yourself a task, break it down into manageable chunks. So you’ll aim to have this bit done by 10am, the rest by lunchtime..etc. That way, if you work fast, you can reward yourself with breaks.

If you get de-motivated have a "procrastination list" and keep adding to it. The idea is to identify times when you are most likely to be productive at a certain task. The list should form a pattern of what you consider more ominous at the top and less problematic further down. What you don’t feel like tackling today you may well feel like tackling another day - therefore helping you to understand which tasks are best done on which days. If that "biggie" at the top of the list is still staring at you some days later maybe it’s better to pay someone else to do that task!

Also list your achievements - so for every task still to do, here’s one you’ve already done well.

9) Family

If you are working with kids or family at home be open as to what’s expected of each other - i.e a team approach. (One suggestion is to use one calendar for work and family - different colours for important activities so all understand when hard work has to be put in to take time out for those activities.)

10) All work and no play

Last but not least, have fun. Allow some time for doing the things you enjoy during the week. All work and no play is never good for anybody.

The Dangerous Allure of Counter-Offers

"They’ll be sorry when I leave!"
What departing employee has not had that thought? In fact, has it crossed your mind?
All too often, employers do seem sorry - suddenly offering the kind of salary, promotion or opportunity for recognition that they had refused to grant before.
Of course they’re sorry. You’re about to leave on your timing, not theirs. There is probably work to be done, which they were counting on you to complete. You have just fired your boss, when he or she would prefer to have the right to fire you. You have created a vacancy, which they will need to fill at some expense. And if you weren’t a terrific person, they wouldn’t have hired you in the first place.

They say:
"You can’t do this to us." (Have a nice guilt trip.)
"We need you" (until the project is done, and we can find a replacement).
"We never realized you were unhappy." (Our employee communications are not the best.)
Surprisingly, the very best companies rarely make counter-offers. They believe they treat their employees fairly and wish them well if a better opportunity exists elsewhere. If you work for one of them, don’t be disappointed if you fail to receive a counter-offer.

But if you do receive one, take a moment for a reality check:

* First, executive search consultants know from long experience that there have to be strong reasons for leaving a job before most employees will consider taking a new one. If that is true in your case, have those reasons disappeared? Will staying on the job solve them?
* Second, if the counter-offer includes salary or job enhancement, what is the source? Are you simply getting your next raise or promotion in advance? And will you have to accept yet another job to get the raise or promotion after that?
* Third, your employer may appeal to your sense of loyalty. Ask yourself how loyal the employer has been to employees.
* Fourth, statistics are not in your favor. The National Business Employment Weekly reports that four out of five people who accept counter-offers are gone within the year. Like Caesar’s wife, you cannot flirt with another and still be considered virtuous. Rest assured that your employer will assume you’ll look again.
* Finally, let’s not forget that new job. Just as there are reasons for leaving your current company, you have seen significant opportunities at your new company - or you would not have accepted the offer of employment. These do not disappear the moment you receive a counter-offer.

The best way to avoid the messy, embarrassing situation of a counter-offer is to take charge of the situation.
Here are a few tips:
* Resign in writing but hand the resignation to your boss. This helps you keep the initiative and stay in control.
* Tell him or her that you’ve carefully weighed the merits of the two positions and have chosen the new one.
* State specifically that you neither seek nor want a counter-offer and hope instead for an amicable departure.
* Last but not least, avoid the temptation to recite a list of grievances. They will only provide your employer with ammunition for a counter-offer.

To quit or not to quit is often a gut-wrenching decision. It involves one of those "passages" in life that require abandoning the comfort of the old and assuming the risk of the new. Also, there may be guilt about leaving your tasks to others, not to mention the "buyer’s remorse" that accompanies most big decisions.
Your employer likely realizes the emotions you are going through and will use them in formulating and presenting a counter-offer, if allowed.

To ease the stress, stay in close touch with your CE Insurance Services Consultant from the time you resign until you are actually out the door. CE Insurance Services has helped thousands of professionals make the right decision.

Weighing Alternatives

Counteroffer Acceptance:
Road to Career Ruin

A raise won’t permanently cushion thorns in the nest

By Paul Hawkinson

Mathew Henry, the 17-th century writer said, "Many a dangerous temptation comes to us in fine gay colours that are but skin deep." The same can be said for counteroffers, those magnetic enticements designed to lure you back into the nest after you’ve decided it’s time to fly away.

The litany of horror stories I have come across in my years as an executive recruiter, consultant and publisher, provides a litmus test that clearly indicates counteroffers should never be accepted . . . EVER!

I define a counteroffer simply as an inducement from your current employer to get you to stay after you’ve announced your intention to take another job. We’re not talking about those instances when you receive an offer but don’t tell your boss. Nor are we discussing offers that you never intended to take, yet tell your employer about anyway as a "they-want-me-but-I’m-staying-with-you" ploy.

These are merely astute positioning tactics you may choose to use to reinforce your worth by letting your boss know you have other options. Mention of a true counteroffer, however, carries an actual threat to quit.

Interviews with employers who make counteroffers, and employees who accept them, have shown that as tempting as they may be, acceptance may cause career suicide. During the past 20 years, I have seen only isolated incidents in which an accepted counteroffer has benefited the employee. Consider the problem in its proper perspective.

What really goes through a boss’s mind when someone quits?

*"This couldn’t be happening at a worse time."
*"This is one of my best people. If I let him quit now, it’ll wreak havoc on the morale of the department."
*"I’ve already got one opening in my department. I don’t need another right now."
*"This will probably screw up the entire vacation schedule."
*"I’m working as hard as I can, and I don’t need to do his work, too."
*"If I lose another good employee, the company might decide to ‘lose’ me too."
*"My review is coming up and this will make me look bad."
*"Maybe I can keep him on until I find a suitable replacement."

What will the boss say to keep you in the nest? Some of these comments are common:

*"I’m really shocked. I thought you were as happy with us as we are with you. Let’s discuss it before you make your final decision."
*"Aw gee, I’ve been meaning to tell you about the great plans we have for you, but it’s been confidential until now."
*"The V.P. has you in mind for some exciting and expanding responsibilities."
*"Your raise was scheduled to go into effect next quarter, but we’ll make it effective immediately."
*"You’re going to work for who?"

Let’s face it. When someone quits, it’s a direct reflection on the boss. Unless you’re really incompetent or a destructive thorn in his side, the boss might look bad by "allowing" you to go. His gut reaction is to do what has to be done to keep you from leaving until he’s ready. That’s human nature.

Unfortunately, it’s also human nature to want to stay unless your work life is abject misery. Career changes, like all ventures into the unknown, is tough. That’s why bosses know they can usually keep you around by pressing the right buttons.

Before you succumb to a tempting counteroffer, consider these universal truths:

*Any situation in which an employee is forced to get an outside offer before the present employer will suggest a raise, promotion or better working conditions, is suspect.
*No matter what the company says when making its counteroffer, you will always be considered a fidelity risk. Having once demonstrated your lack of loyalty (for whatever reason), you will lose your status as a "team player" and your place in the inner circle.
*Counteroffers are usually nothing more than stall devices to give your employer time to replace you.
*Your reasons for wanting to leave still exist. Conditions are just made a bit more tolerable in the short term because of the raise, promotion or promises made to keep you.
*Counteroffers are only made in response to a threat to quit. Will you have to solicit an offer and threaten to quit every time you deserve better working conditions?
*Decent and well-managed companies don’t make counteroffers . . . EVER! Their policies are fair and equitable. They will not be subjected to "counteroffer coercion" or what they perceive as blackmail.

If the urge to accept a counteroffer hits you, keep on cleaning out your desk as you count your blessings.
Reprinted from the National Business Employment Weekly

Beware of Counteroffers
They may beg you to stay now, then give you the boot later
by R. Gaines Baty

You’ve been approached by another company and offered a position with growth potential and a moderate increase in compensation. You’ve analyzed and agonized over the decision to leave a good (or bad) job for what could be a better one, and have accepted (or decided to accept) the offer. However, upon resigning, your current boss asks you to stay. This appeal is known as a counteroffer or buyback.

In recent years, counteroffers have practically become the norm. "It’s almost like a part of the accepted divorce proceedings, and allows the boss to save face with his boss," explains one departing Texas-based executive of a major airline. "And it sometimes has to take its course."

But while buyback offers can be tempting, take care not to fall into the trap or be blindsided to your own detriment. Career changes are tough enough as it is, and anxieties about leaving a comfortable job, friends and location and having to reprove yourself again in an unknown opportunity can cloud the best of logic. But just because the new position is a little scary doesn’t mean it’s not a positive move.

Since buyback gestures can create confusion and buyer’s remorse, you should understand what’s being cast upon you. Counteroffers are typically made in conjunction with some form of flattery. For example:

* You’re too valuable, and we need you.
* You can’t desert the team/your friends and leave them hanging.
* We were just about to give you a promotion/raise, and it was confidential until now.
* What did they offer, why are you leaving, and what do you need to stay?
* Why would you want to work for that company?
* The President/CEO wants to meet with you before you make your final decision.

Counters usually take the form of:

* more money
* a promotion/more responsibility
* a modified reporting structure
* promises or future considerations
* disparaging remarks about the new company or job, and/or
* guilt trips

Of course, since we all prefer to think we’re MVPs, it’s natural to want to believe these manipulative appeals, but beware! Accepting a counteroffer often is the wrong choice to make. Think about it: if you were worth "X" yesterday, why are they suddenly willing to pay you "X+Y" today, when you weren’t expecting a raise for some time? Also consider how you’ve felt when someone resigned from your staff. The reality is that employers don’t like to be "fired". Your boss is likely concerned that he’ll look bad, and that his career may suffer. Bosses are judged by their ability to retain staff. When a contributor quits, morale suffers. Further, your leaving might jeopardize an important project, increase staffers’ workload or even foul up a vacation schedule. It’s never a good time for someone to quit, and it may prove time-consuming and costly to replace you, especially considering recruitment and relocation expenses. It’s much cheaper to keep you, even at a slightly higher salary. And it would be better to fire you later, on the company’s time frame.

"We’ve made counteroffers on occasion, if a good person approaches the issue professionally," says a former senior partner of a Big Six accounting and consulting firm. "But it usually was a stopgap measure because we couldn’t afford a defection at that point in time. We didn’t count on those people long term, and usually they’d burned bridges two or three levels up, if not with their immediate manager, definitely put them in a career holding pattern."

The senior partner cites a long conference he once attended with his boss and two subordinate managers, in which they approved a counteroffer and raise to an employee two levels down. "Immediately after that meeting, my boss called me and said, "We can’t afford to lose him now, but our No. 1 priority is to find a replacement, ASAP!" he says. "And we replaced him within a few months."

Another senior executive from a major Dallas-based bank says, "If it’s a real ‘hitter,’ I’ll try to get him to stay. But to be honest, any additional compensation is ’stealing’ from his future earnings, and I’ll always question his convictions, knowing he can be bought. Further, I’ll wonder if I can really count on him [which equates to limited future opportunities]. In other words, the damage is done."

While your employer may truly consider you an asset and genuinely care about you personally, you can be sure that your interests are secondary to your boss’s career and your company’s profit or survival. Thus, flattering offers and comments are attempts to manipulate you to act in your employer’s best interests, which aren’t necessarily your own. In other words, they’re not about you.

Accepting a counteroffer can have numerous negative consequences. Consider:
Where did the additional money or responsibility you’d get come from? Was it your next raise or promotion? Just given early? Will you be limited in the future? Will you have to threaten to quit to get your next raise? Might a (cheaper) replacement be sought out?

You’ve demonstrated your unhappiness (or lack of blind loyalty), and will be perceived as having committed blackmail to gain a raise. You won’t ever be considered a team player again. Many employers will hold a grudge at the next review period, and you may be placed at the top of the next reduction-in-force "hit list". As one executive who requested anonymity says, "Like an adulterous affair that’s been discovered, the broken trust is never fully recovered."

Apart from a short-term, band-aid treatment, nothing will change within the company. After the dust settles from this upheaval, you’ll be in the same old rut. A rule of thumb among recruiters is that more than 80% of those accepting counteroffers leave, or are terminated, within six to twelve months anyway. Half of those who do succumb reinitiate their job searches within 90 days, recruiters say.

"They butter you up, give you more money, but nothing really changes. In fact, they can get worse," says one insurance executive in Utah who accepted a counteroffer. "My immediate boss was really agitated, since his boss interceded. At raise time, he told me that none had been budgeted (since I’d already gotten a raise), and that if I wanted, I could negotiate with the president as before." This executive, by the way, left the company within months.

To be sure, recruiters have a vested interest in candidates not accepting counteroffers, since they can’t complete their search assignments without willing candidates.

Attempted buybacks can demonstrate disrespect for your well-thought-out decision and commitment to the new company. Should your current employer decide to eliminate your position or pass you over for promotion, successfully countering their decision is unlikely. Besides, you’ve analyzed, accepted and committed to the new company, which has surely made plans and accommodations around you and they are counting on you. Finally, when making your decision, look at your current job and the new position as if you were unemployed. Which opportunity holds the most real potential? Probably the new one, or you wouldn’t have accepted it in the first place.

15 Things You Can Do Right Now To Help Your Career

Most career advice you receive focuses on the big picture: how to get ahead, how to “win,” and such things that are on a much larger scale than the daily grind that most of us face. In fact, it is that day to day grind that pulls down many of us - we go to work, come home exhausted, and often feel as though we’re just spinning our wheels.

If you want to get ahead in your career and in your life, you need to start small and look at the immediate things you can do to help out your situation. If you’re sitting out there at your desk, tiredly wondering if there’s something better that you can be doing with your life, start with these fifteen tips that you can start executing immediately that will lead you down a path towards a better career.

Make a list of all of the things you did today/this week/this month to help your organization, and file them away.
Whenever you have a few spare moments, make a list of all of the things you are actually doing at work. Date them and provide specific examples. When you’ve made this list, drop it in a folder and let it sit there until your next performance review - or the next time you ask for a raise or a promotion. I do this regularly, which has allowed me to build up extensive positive documentation about my career.

Send a thank-you note
If you’ve recently been assisted in your career or personal development by someone, spend a few moments and send that person a handwritten thank you note. The respect, kindness, and personal touch of a handwritten thank you creates an indelible positive mark in your favor in the recipient’s mind, which can do nothing but help you out in the long run.

Work on your writing skills
For me, The Simple Dollar is actually an active part of improving my own writing. Starting a blog related to a work-related topic that interests you is a good way to practice your skills. Don’t be lazy with it, though; focus on writing strong material that will engage others, because without it, you’re not really improving your skills at all, merely regurgitating facts.

Design some classy business cards for you
I have a small pile of business cards that are just for me (actually, they’re for The Simple Dollar), not for any firm I represent or work for or anything else. I drop these regularly, as envelope enclosures and in face-to-face opportunities. These cards are a reflection of me and what I wish to represent to people, and by getting quality ones, I create a positive impression on the recipients. Don’t go for the office store perforated ones, either; get them professionally done and in a high quality.

Send a quick contact email
Got any professional contacts that you haven’t touched base with recently? Send them an email letting them know what you’re up to - and ask them what they’re up to. By this, I don’t mean clients - I mean professional acquaintances in the same field as you (contacting clients should be a regular part of your workflow). A quick email to the people you met at conferences last year can be a very good thing, as you never know if they might have a great opportunity available that could really help you out.

Suggest a solution to a persistent workplace problem
This is especially true for smaller things, not necessarily big enterprise-wide issues. Are people always complaining about the printers? Spec out an additional printer and ship a proposal for a new printer by your boss. Workplace tensions between two people? Figure out how to most discreetly move them far apart from each other, write it up, and ship it off. The key is to make the solution as complete as possible, so that the boss can tell you saw a problem, looked into how to solve it, and came up with a solution on your own.

Pick up the phone and make a call
Keep in touch with what’s going on in the organization as a whole so you can be more informed when meetings occur. Pick up the phone and give someone else a call to see what you can learn, or take a stroll through different parts of the workplace to find out what others are up to. Don’t make a nuisance of yourself, but be aware of what is going on, how it can affect you, and how you might be able to leverage that to get ahead.

Work on your language skills
Are you a non-native speaker of the language in your workplace? Spend your spare time working on the finer points. I find that listening to audiobooks and podcasts is an incredible way to pick up on the nuances of a language given that you already know the basics. If you don’t know the basics, seek out some audio courses on that language and get started. For myself, I’ve found that a great way to pick up a foreign language is to read a translation of a work I’m already very familiar with, such as Harry Potter.

Make yourself more presentable
It always helps to have a clean, fresh impression. I keep a few hygiene products in my traveling bag at all times: underarm deodorant, toothpaste, a toothbrush, some mouthwash, some facial cleanser, a comb, and some cologne. I make sure to clean myself up at least once a day, and often twice a day, when I have a few free moments. That way, I look freshly scrubbed at the 3:30 PM meeting - and having just washed my face vigorously, I feel more awake.

Polish your resume
There’s never a bad time to give your resume a bit of a touch up. Make sure it has plenty of action words and documents specific results that you’ve produced. In fact, your personal work documentation is a great way to look for ideas to spiff up your resume.

Read something on topics you plan to be facing in the future in your career
Don’t waste your time reading PerezHilton (unless you work for People magazine or something); instead, find resources that are related to your job and focus on those. If you spend your spare time at work browsing the web, at least spend that time browsing items that can potentially further your career.

Prepare some comments in advance for your next meeting
Got a meeting later? Instead of dreading it, look at it as an opportunity to shine. Look at what the meeting agenda is and prepare some notes and thoughts that you can present during them. If you’re going to sit through someone’s presentation, find out what it’s going to be about and do some preparatory legwork in advance so you can ask a few astute questions.

Work on your public speaking skills
This seems like it would be difficult to do right now, but it’s not. Merely listen to the work of great public speakers on the internet, burn yourself a CD or two of speeches that really inspire you, then play them in your car on the way home and practice speaking along with them. You’ll learn a great deal about how to enunciate words to get your points across and influence others.

Clean your work area
Not only will this create a better impression of you in the eyes of others, you may also come across important materials that you thought were missing or lost. It’s also good to start (or enhance) a document filing system when you do this, so you can quickly find materials.

Figure out where you want to be in five years - and create a plan for getting there
Spend some time visualizing where you want to be, then think about what it’s going to take to get there. From there, keep breaking down each piece in the process until the pieces are things you can do quickly - and start doing them. Every mountain climb is just a series of steps, after all.

arinih aku dapat perkhabaran gembira…hehehehe

‘5 minggu’

Kepada kawan2 ku sekalian, harap dapat menyenaraikan alamat anda untuk kenduri kawen aku nanti.. date 9/12..leh wat reunion sekali…hehehe