Is your life’s purpose for sale?Written by Craig Nathanson
Is your life’s purpose for sale? There is no purpose too big or too small By Craig Nathanson Meet Joe. He’s a middle-aged bridge toll-taker in San Francisco Bay Area. In a recent interview, Joe said he loves role he has filled for last 12 years. The job suits his purpose. He said: “If I can help someone start their day off right in few seconds when they are handing me [the toll], I feel I have made a difference in day and life of another person.” Meet Mel. He’s a veteran New York City street sweeper who works through night clearing away previous day’s debris. Mel ran into Craig Nathanson, The Vocational Coach, one morning after Craig’s run in Central Park. Mel said: “Nothing makes me happier than making sure no one has to step on garbage when they start out their day on my street.” He has been sweeping same four square city blocks for 30 years. Meet Minna Valentine, a.k.a. “The Reading Doctor.” A past client of Craig’s, she’s a former marketing executive who ditched corporate world to teach English as a second language. This is her take on changes she made in her vocational path: “Teaching others makes me feel like I am contributing to something worthwhile.” Joe, Mel, and Minna each go to work every day knowing they will make a difference to someone. They are grateful to be able to do so. There are many so-called high achievers earning six-figure salaries that cannot make that claim. Why is living with purpose critical in mid-life? In mid-life, many people find themselves suddenly questioning everything – careers, lifestyles, and priorities. Nothing is spared from this examination, although few will discuss their fears. Often it takes a personal crisis – a layoff, a death, or a divorce – to move people from introspection to action. When these events occur, they open up a small window of opportunity to challenge everything and consider a new course. Inner questioning is critical in mid-life. If a person hopes to achieve greater meaning and self-fulfillment, things are never easy. It requires courage and a leap of faith. Craig speaks from experience. A few years ago, he came home from his six-figure job and announced to his family that he was quitting. He no longer found meaning and fulfillment in what he was doing. That was his first leap of faith. How do I find and live with purpose? Finding “meaning of life” is not self-indulgent or cliché. It is essence of why we are here. If there is no meaning, then what is point of existence? In order to create a path toward meaning, in our jobs and in our lives, we need to begin with an evaluation process that challenges. - Fill in blank: “The purpose of my life is …” Keep saying it until you find an answer. Then write it down. - Make an honest self-assessment of your current state. Exclude external input or validation. Are you driven? A procrastinator? Happy? Sad? Energetic? Lethargic? Generous? Selfish? Adventurous? Conservative? Etc. - Define experiences you need now to feel fully alive. Then, develop a plan to have those experiences. Do you want to travel to China before you turn 50? Have you always wanted to sing in front of a large audience? Have you always wanted to study to become a chef? Have you always wanted to run a marathon? Etc.
| | 5 Ways to Make Your Resume Shine On-LineWritten by Sibylla Nash
The internet makes it possible to point and click your way into your dream position or a gig just to pay bills. On-line job boards such as Hotjobs.com receives over 7.5 million visitors each month making it easy to get lost in mayhem of point and click stampede toward employment. Have no fear, there a few things you can do to get in groove of this fast-paced job shuffle.1.)Craft an eye-catching header. That single line in header of your e-mail is valuable advertising space, it separates you from thousands of other job seekers, make it count. 2.)Use keywords. Craft your resume and cover letter using description from job posting. Include a “key words” section at bottom of your resume, suggests Chris Jones, VP of Content at Hotjobs.com. Employers use automated systems to scan and flag resumes with certain key words. 3.)Target your search. Treat your job hunt as a planned, precise operation. Do your homework on industry and target potential employers. Apply directly on their corporate web site.
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