MIDLIFECAREERS NEWSLETTER, OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2006 - VOLUME 1, ISSUE 8

Quote

Quit identifying with your difficulties, finding justifications for them, and arguing for them. Become a force for your own potential. Shift your attention to what is going right and how great it could be. -- Alan Cohen

More About Obstacles

The cup is either half full or half empty. You’ve all heard this a million times. After listening to my clients give me endless rebuttals on why they can’t, there is that wonderful breakthrough moment of “I can!” that is the beginning of the change to ignite their future.

Here are some clues to make a life change:

1. Opening up – simply stopping your “no’s”, not arguing for them.

2. Shifting your awareness to new possibilities.

3. Getting excited about yourself and your future.

We all have "stuff" that trips us up or causes us to lose our focus ... whatever it is, dump it!

Turning “No’s” into “Yes’s”

Will in turn unleash your energy.

Utilize this surge - every life change needs to gain speed and momentum to happen. Positive energy can change everything in your life.

Imagination

The best vision is insight. ~ Malcolm S. Forbes

The insight of your imagination taps into your intuitive side. Remember my Five Lives exercise that I wrote about in the September issue? – This is a paragraph or two about what you would do in an imagined life, who would be in it, what would you be doing.

I asked for five of these to be written and then look for clues. Over your Thanksgiving break, do this if you haven’t done it so far, and then analyze your lives.

1. What’s similar in each life?

2. What does meaningful work mean?

3. What would be the purpose of your life in each of your five-life exercises?

4. What is the theme of who you are, as seen through your eyes?

5. What would be the theme of who you are as seen through the eyes of others?

6. ****Pick a life, any life of your choice -- and what could you be doing now to start being who you would like to be?***

Synchronicity

A funny thing happens when you pick a life. Decide that it has merit enough to shift your attention into how great it could be. Simply, you turn a corner.

And when you turn a corner a thing called synchronicity happens. This is a strange word. Some great writers have written about this phenomenon – Deepak Chopra, Jean Shinoda Bolen, Julie Cameron, and more… Simply stated synchronicity is that sudden connection with someone or something that can make our journey come together. We suddenly find a connection; gateways opening that pull us through the forest giving us a clear vision, giving us a clear path.

But you have to make the step forward; you can’t wait for it to happen. Without your move forward the gateway remains shut.

Making a Plan for Your Journey

Plans need to be made before a journey can begin. As we head for 2007, the end of the year is a wonderful time to make plans for your future.

1. What are the possible ways you can move forward in a new direction?

2. What do you need to support structure? A new focus on a résumé, coaching sessions? Classes?

Lists are varied. The options are many. The important starting point is making the plan.

As you close out the year, enjoy friends and family during the holidays become a force for your own potential – gain a new mindset that will bolster your confidence.

Stats, Sites and Stuff

Stats

Salary Survey Predicts Increases: Employees in heath care, management, security, and transportation will receive the highest salary increases next year, according to a survey by the Economic Research Institute. When comparing average salaries for broad job functions between 2005 and 2006, the survey found that:

• Executive salaries increased 8.7 percent, from $99,991 in 2005 to $108,710 in 2006

• Middle management salaries increased 5.6 percent, from $67.071 to $70,826

• Professional salaries increased 4 percent, from $61,728 to $64,169

• Clerical salaries increased 2.3 percent, from $24,582 to $25,152

Source: Business Examiner Daily, August 18, 2006

Sites

Interested in International Positions? Greater global competition for the highest skilled knowledge workers may be leading to increased numbers of transient creative and knowledge workers who work in many countries in their career lifespan. The knowledge economy has enhanced the productivity of high-skilled workers much more than of low-skilled workers whose jobs are far more vulnerable to automation.

Some of the key affects stemming from globalization and internationalization of business include:

• Studying and working in other countries is increasingly becoming a part of academic and work experience

• Globalization is leading to greater competition among universities and to the commoditization of higher education and university research bodies

• Getting a visa has become a major hindrance since 9/11 for foreign students and highly skilled foreign-born workers wanting to study or work in the U.S.

• Other countries, such as India and China, are developing higher capacity under-graduate and post-graduate education programs at a rapid pace, affecting the number of foreign students and workers in the U.S.

• The number of U.S. students studying abroad has increased 10% from 2003/2004 to 2005, due to the importance of international experience and intercultural understanding to business success

• According to a 2006 study by Booz Allen Hamilton and the international business school INSEAD, most R & D leaders agreed that a healthy culture of innovation and attracting and developing talent are critical to the creation of effective R & D networks, requiring team members to work in a culturally diverse environment

• The GMAC study revealed an increase of women expatriate assignments are now at the highest levels and are 23% of the expatriate population

• The age of expatriate assignments is now lower, with 54% between the ages of 20 and 39

• The internationalization of the labor force is also causing many foreign-born workers to reverse immigrate back to their home countries following education and work in the U.S.

• India, China, and some parts of Asia are now seen as the new frontiers with the greatest opportunities for entrepreneurs, instead of Silicon Valley in the U.S.

• The high-tech sector especially appears to be developing knowledge hubs, often clustered around universities and university research centers in other countries

• The development of science and engineering programs in Asia and Eastern Europe could create new knowledge hubs attracting entrepreneurs from around the world

Read the full report and related reports on globalization and business at: http://www.shrm.org/trends/visions/ (Workplace Visions, SHRM Workplace Trends)

Stuff

Again, my e-book, Retire, Rewire, and Restart is almost finished. Writing is done. Edits are finished. And I will work on finalizing over Thanksgiving. It will be offered through at my website www.retirementcareers.com I will also offer in conjunction with the book, membership to an opt-in page that offers, Message Board, Résumé examples, Retire, Rewire & Restart Newsletter, 6-week free E-course to energize your change, and much, much more.

So, get on with your journey, and as I said in earlier newsletters, the destination will take care of itself.

To be continued in December….

In support of you,